Without a Trace
by charlayla
Summary: [DMHG] 'I am telling you this because only the two of you can help Harry defeat Voldemort.' Separated by prejudice and years of animosity, everything changed that fateful night in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

In the spring of 1998, Hogwarts had seen its greatest group of students graduate. This magnificent class consisted of Harry Potter; the boy-who-lived-to-defeat-You-Know-Who, Hermione; the smartest student that Hogwarts had seen since Rowena Ravenclaw herself and Draco Malfoy; perhaps the second smartest student since Rowena Ravenclaw. It had been a joyous occasion, a last hurrah if you will before the devastation that was to follow.

The summer that followed proved to be one of the worst eras that the Magical World had seen, playing host to the Great War. Those three horrendous months had been full of destruction and sorrow, marked by an enormous amount of casualties. St Mungo's and the Hogwarts Infirmary had been packed with the injured, both fighters and innocent civilians. The losses had been so great that the back of the Forbidden Forest, the furthest end from the school, had been cut down and was now the burial site for all of the Light Fighters.

For the Weasley clan, it had not been a pleasant time. Percy had perished at the hand of Lucius Malfoy, whose life was soon taken by his very own son. Ronald had been institutionalised in the large Magical hospital for six months after being hit with a necrotising curse, suffering as Healers tried to prevent the curse from eating away at his muscle tissue and enduring a further year of recovery.

Many from the class of 1998 had fought in the war. Neville Longbottom had finally proven himself as a true Gryffindor, fighting three Death Eaters at once and coming out triumphant. As expected Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors fought a wonderful fight together, the Light side emerging from the battle victorious. But what had surprised everyone the most was the number of Slytherins that had fought for the Light side. Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott Millicent Bulstrode were only a few of the Slytherin graduates to fight behind Potter and the Light Side. But the most surprising of all was Draco Malfoy.

Most had assumed him to be a Death Eater. He had been greatly favoured by Voldemort due to his father's keen and loyal involvement and the fact that not only was he from one of the purest pureblood bloodlines, but that all of his ancestors had been avid followers of the Dark Arts and had hated the meer idea of Muggleborns. But Draco wasn't foolish. He knew better than to dabble with the Dark Arts and in his final year, had turned to Dumbledore to help. He had proven himself to be a great use, killing many Death Eaters and rescuing his fellow fighters from their peril.

The battle had raged on, many in low spirits as the war had begun to feel like a futile effort. Yet at the very last moment, the Golden Trio had begun brandishing their full power; just as it seemed that the war would never end, the most spectacular thing had occurred.

Hermione had unleashed a power from inside her that no one had seen before. She had begun to glow, a bright golden light emanating from her. Unbeknownst to many, a similar thing had occurred to Draco. The Death Eaters had frozen as if momentarily paralysed, with many of the Light side ensuring to either vanquish or disarm them. In the confusion of the moment, Harry had been able to defeat Harry and the war was thankfully over.

As the Magical world tried to recover from the destruction, all fighters had been accounted for; both the Light and Dark. That is all the fighters except for two. It had taken thirteen days for all the fighters to be accounted for but these two were never located, their bodies missing and their whereabouts unaccounted for. These two fighters had vanished from the moment that the last Death Eater had fallen to the ground. Who were these two fighters?

Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy.

**Spring 2005**

**Ministry of Magic: 11-03-2005**

Kingsley Shacklebolt stared up at the screen before him in disbelief. Their search for Hermione and Draco had never ended at the insistence of Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore who were convinced that the two were still alive somewhere. The impressive screen in front of him displayed a map of the world. The Aura Detector had been set up after the Great War to detect the auras of the missing that were still alive. Kingsley had himself believed the pair to be dead – and yet, right in front of him, a pink dot was on the screen beside a blue one. Their auras had been found…again.

They had been spotted individually from time to time around one area, into which they would disappear. _That_, he assumed, _is where they are; at that vast area of land where their auras are unplottable_. "Finnegan! Finnegan, you fool! Get over here now!" Hannah Finnegan, previously known as Hannah Abbott, rushed into the room. "Get Albus Dumbledore here now! **Immediately**!" He bellowed at her. The poor women squeaked with fear and rushed out of the room to the closest fireplace. Throwing in a handful of Floo-Powder, she yelled on the top of her voice, "Albus Dumbledore's office!"

She stuck her head through the flames to see Albus Dumbledore staring serenely at her. "Yes Mrs. Finnegan?"

She took in a long deep breath before hurriedly saying, "Shacklebolt want to see you urgently, Dumbledore sir." The old man nodded once before calmly walking through the flames, appearing beside her. "He's just in there." She said, pointing to the room she had just left.

"Thank you, dear. Say hello to Seamus and the kids for me." He replied cheerily before making his way into the room. "Good evening, Kingsley. What may I do for you?"

"Found them!" Kingsley yelled joyously. "They're alive! They are definitely alive!"

A familiar, old twinkle crept back into the eyes of the aged man. He had been wary when the pair had risen into the air, winds blowing around them ferociously. But their disappearance had truly shocked him, along with the rest of the nation. "Are you sure?"

Kingsley nodded enthusiastically. He indicated to the two dots that were moving towards the region where they would soon disappear. He explained to Albus how the dots had been seen from time to time and how he had deduced their location as the dots once again disappeared. "Excellent work Kinsgley!"

Kingsley smiled widely. "Thank you, sir! But my only question is, what are the chances that they are together right now after all these years?"

Albus smiled with a knowing twinkle in his eyes. "That, my friend, is for them to explain for it is their secret. I am sure that once their recovery had become public, the truth will be known by all. But for now, we must inform Harry that Hermione has been found! Although…I think I shall conveniently forget to mention Draco, eh?" He added cheekily before heading down the corridors to a fireplace.

"Potter residence!" He yelled before stepping through the blazing flames.

**Potter Household**

Harry Potter sat at the dining table, sipping on his mug of strong coffee. His dishevelled raven hair fell into his face, sticking out at the top. His green eyes had matured, marred by the atrocities he had witnessed during the war. He was still quite strong, his muscle had become a little less defined as he had settled into his role as a doting husband and father.

He had arrived home from work a few hours ago and was looking forward to the weekend, where he would be able to rest. He stared out of the window as the sun slowly set, his mind full of thoughts. The Festival of Revival had passed only a few days ago, commemorating the seventh anniversary of the end of the Great War. It had been a wonderful day, and yet it had been a sad occasion for many of the graduates of 1998 as they mourned the loss of their friends. It had been especially difficult for Harry, reminding him that it had been seven long years since he had last seen his close friend, Hermione.

He sighed softly, wondering whatever could have happened to her. So much had occurred in the past seven years and it truly hurt him that she wasn't there for any of it. He was certain that she couldn't be dead. It was as if he had formed a sixth sense through the closeness of the Golden Trio. Even when Ron had been hit with the curse, he had known something was wrong. And at no time did he feel any unease about Hermione. She was safe somewhere and he knew it; and yet he couldn't prove it.

"Harry…Harry!" He snapped out of his daze, turning to his wife. Ginevra Potter was a certainly a sight for sore eyes; her auburn hair lay gently on her shoulders, her baby blue eyes looking out at him with concern. "What's bothering you? I hate seeing you like this!"

"Hermione…" He whispered softly into his mug.

She sighed heavily, her eyes darkening with sadness, and sat down beside him. "I know…I miss her everyday too, darling. She was a part of me, like a sister. But we both know she is safe somewhere out there. And we will find her."

Harry smiled weakly as Ginny stood up to finish cooking dinner. "Could you be a dear and get the kids to wash their hands for dinner?"

She had barely finished her sentence when footsteps could be heard thumping down the stairs. Two little kids raced into the kitchen, their fiery red hair flying behind them. "James! Stop chasing Lily around the room!"

The boy stopped and stared at their father with his brilliant green eyes. "But she hit me!" Harry sighed as the familiar banter started, turning to his daughter.

"Only because he called me stupid!" Harry couldn't help by roll his eyes at the two.

"Alright. You're both at fault. Now wash your hands and behave or no dinner for the two of you!" The little children gasped with horror before racing to wash their hands. Ginny chuckled lightly and placed the food on the table.

An hour later, Ginny announced that it was bedtime for the kids – only to prompt their earnest protests. "No buts! Both of you to bed now!" She stated, sounding a lot like her mother. She held both their hands and led them upstairs.

Harry smiled softly at his family before retiring to the lounge room. He sat down and picked up the nearest book; a copy of _Romeo and Juliet_ by William Shakespeare that Hermione had given him as a graduation present. He had begun reading when a voice distracted him.

"Harry, my boy! Good to see you reading for once!" Harry looked up to see a bright, warm smile adorning Albus Dumbledore's face; something he hadn't seen in almost seven years.

"Yes…I thought I'd give it a try." Harry answered with a chuckle.

Albus' eyes gleamed with merriment as Ginny returned to the room and greeted the Headmaster with a hug. "I'm glad you're here, Ginny. I need to speak with you both. I'm sorry that Ron isn't here as well but I'm sure that Africa is treating him well."

Ginny smiled warmly at the thought of his brother. After his recovery in hospital, he was living life with a newly-found fervour. He had asked his girlfriend, Lavender Brown, to marry him a year after the war had ended. The tall, burly red-head was currently in Africa for a match against the African Quidditch team, proudly playing for the Chudley Cannons. His wife had stayed behind to look after their three sons; Matthew, Christopher and Nicholas.

Albus paused for a moment, the sparkle in his eye seeming to grow larger if that were even possible. "We have found her." He stated simply, waiting for the couple to react.

Silence filled the room for a split second as the news sank in. "What?!" Harry yelled, leaping quickly to his feet.

"Yes…somewhere in the middle of America. Safe and sound." After again embracing Albus tightly, Ginny turned to her husband with tears spilling down her face. He wrapped his arms around her, his eyes filling with tears.

"Finally."


	2. Chapter I

**Disclaimer: none of it is mine, except for the plot**

**A/N: Forgot to say in the previous chapter that this is NOT compatible with the last book. This is written as occurring after HP and the Half-Blood Prince but in my head, the ending went a little different. I don't quite like the idea of Draco having tried to kill Dumbledore and so I'm just going to pretend that it went a little different!**

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**Ministry of Magic**

Harry strolled into his office, a smile on his face. For most certainly, nothing could spoil his day. As he entered, he saw Albus patiently waiting on a chair. "Albus! To what do I owe the pleasure?" He exclaimed, blissful from the events of the night before.

"Ah Harry! We've pinpointed her location. She has placed an Unplottable Charm on the property she is at, hence the zone that we kept losing her aura. But from her surroundings, we have narrowed it down to a large farm in Van Wert, America. We've set up a point on the edge of her property for you to Apparate to and from there you'll need to drive up to her home. We've prepared a car for appear when you arrive. Good luck Harry…and please, say hello to her for me."

**Van Wert, America**

Harry appeared beside a familiar old blue car. "The Weasley's car." He whispered to himself before taking in his surroundings. He was on a desolate, dirt road that led on into the distance where he could see a small structure, which he assumed was Hermione's house. On both sides were pastures, all fenced with clean white paint. The succulent green grass went on for as far as his eyes could see. In the paddocks he could see numerous horses and sheep. He smiled, thinking back to their final year. Hermione had mentioned that her dream was to move to a large farm with Muggle animals and live a simple life. It had seemed like such a wonderful idea amongst all the chaos of their final exams and the impending war.

He climbed into the old rackety car, thanking his lucky stars as it started. Harry stared in awe as he approached the home. It was a beautiful place with perfectly manicured gardens. The paddocks came to an end as the white fencing continued behind the house, where he could see more paddocks. The now brick road was lined with a neat thick line of small shrubs, shaped as boxes. Behind the fences were bushes of brightly coloured flowers; pink, red, yellow and lilac.

The house itself was quite tall, consisting of three stories. It was made out of brick, painted a beautiful off-white colour. The front door was a deep mahogany, a lovely contrast to the off-white. The windows were well spread out; through one of the open windows, he could see two little children running around. Harry smiled gently; at least she hadn't been alone for the past six years. His friend had settled down.

He climbed out of the old car, inwardly thanking the heavens that it hadn't broken down on the way. As he made his way up the path, he could hear the yells and giggles of the children he had seen. He made his way up onto the veranda and knocked with the ornate knocker twice; an image of a lioness sleeping, a snake curled up in its arms. _Odd_, he thought_, I never though her a fan of smakes._

A familiar, sweet voice rang out from somewhere within the house. It was greatly muffled but Harry would recognise that voice anywhere; he had waited to hear it for so long. "Honey, can you get that? I was just about to jump in the shower." Harry smiled. Hermione and her husband, whoever it was, were clearly still in love. It was a thought that made him smile broadly.

There was a slight pause. "Alright, love! You might need to get a new bottle of shower-gel from the cupboard!" A strong British voice replied. Harry wrinkled his nose; the man's voice was strangely familiar but he couldn't quite place it. The door opened, revealing a tall blonde man. He had deep crystal blue eyes, shining with contentment, his hair lying messily over his forehead. He had a pointed chin and a very firmly set jaw. His wide shoulders and slim waist gave him the slight appearance of a swimmer. He was someone who would definitely be considered very good-looking.

Harry's mouth dropped open, unable to comprehend who was standing in front of him. "Malfoy?!" Draco opened his mouth to retort, _probably something harsh_ thought Harry, but he was cut off by the two children Harry had seen earlier.

They both had dirty blonde hair and striking blue eyes speckled with brown. They both had Draco's sharp facial structure and yet their full lips and button-like nose were distinctly familiar; _they are definitely the off-spring of Hermione and Malfoy_, Harry thought with a twang of disdain.

The little girl, her long curly hair streaming behind her, ran into her father wrapping her arms around one leg. "Daddy!" She yelled repeatedly, sobbing into his trousers.

Draco's face formed a look of love and concern. He knelt down so that he was hugging the girl. "Sorry Potter, but give me a second. What is it, Addy?"

"Jack ripped the head off my doll!" She yelled between her sobs. Harry couldn't help but smile as Draco tried to reason between the two children, the situation reminding him of his own family. It was so strange to think of Draco as a doting father putting up with the petty fights of children – and yet, Harry was witnessing it at this very moment. It was definitely a side of Draco he thought he would never see.

Draco watched after his children as they dashed back up the stairs before turning back to Harry, his smile turning into a frown. "Potter. How on earth did you find us?"

Harry smiled smugly. "You didn't really think we'd give up on Hermione, did you? We programmed the Aura Detector to track your auras. We spotted you on numerous occasions and finally Shacklebolt made an educated guess that this was where you were living."

Draco opened his mouth to reply when a voice rang out. "Draco, who is at the door and why haven't you invited them inside?"

He cleared his throat nervously. "Erm…Mya love…you may want to come down."

"I'm not exactly decent - I just got out of the shower. I'll be down soon." Hermione's sweet voice rang out in reply.

"Alright but hurry. I really need you down here as quickly as possible."

Harry could almost picture Hermione smiling at her small victory. Draco turned to Harry, a strained smile on his face. "Right…why don't you follow me into the lounge and I'll fix up a few drinks."

A few minutes later, Harry found himself sitting in awkward silence as they waited for Hermione to join them. His head was swimming with thoughts, trying to comprehend the situation he was now in. His thoughts were broken as he heard the soft patter of light footsteps as Hermione made her way down the landing. He turned to face the doorway, almost unable to contain his anxiety.

Hermione stopped abruptly as she entered the room and stared at her old friend. Harry took the opportunity to look at his friend. He was awed at her appearance as he had always been. Though he had thought her to be gorgeous throughout their school years, he had never thought of her as more than a friend. She had grown even more beautiful than he remembered. Her long brunette hair lay carelessly on her shoulders ending at the small of her back. There were small traces of a golden honey colour running through her locks. Her deep chocolate eyes were as bright as ever, a fusion of shock and glee glistening in them. Her face was still as beautiful and flawless as ever, the past six years and worries of the war having barely affected it.

In one arm was a young boy, no older than two, with honey coloured hair and bright blue eyes. Her other arm was laying on her stomach, which was rather full and round. She was pregnant with yet another child, Harry thought with surprise.

"Harry?" She whispered softly, snapping him out of his thoughts. He smiled brightly as her face broke out in a large grin, the one that he had missed daily, before she ran towards him and embraced him tightly, the child still in her arms.

Draco leaned against the doorframe, a light smile playing on his lips. She was so, truly happy; he could see the joy in her eyes. The last seven years, as amazing as they had been, had taken a toll on them.

They had never intended to be away for so long. No-one had been quite sure how the end of the war would play out and when it had ended, it had been a shock to everyone involved. Draco and Hermione had found themselves drained of all strength as Dumbledore assumed would happen. They couldn't be sure of the ramifications of what had transpired; and so for their own safety, they had made the decision to leave the Magical World until it was safe to return.

Draco was almost sure that it would be safe for them; but it was a risk that neither of them were willing to take. There was no way they would willingly put their three children and unborn child in danger. They had to be sure.

And now, he thought, they could be.

"I'm sorry. Harry, I am so sorry." Hermione whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she took a step back. "I wish I could have written to you, or somehow let you know we were here. But it…it just wasn't safe." She tried to explain, sadness overcoming her features.

Draco frowned, his heart breaking at the pain in her eyes. Harry was at a loss for words – as much as he wanted someone to blame for their anguish over the past years, there was no one. All he could do was smile and hug her again.

There was an awkward heaviness that filled the room as they each searched for something to say. Draco cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "So Potter…would you like to meet the family?" Hermione's eyes brightened with that.

"Oh yes, you must Harry! Adalynn! Jackson!" She yelled, making the small child screw his face in annoyance until she stroked his hair affectionately and pecked him on the forehead.

The thudding of the two children running could be heard as they raced into the room, standing in front of their parents making the scene in front of Harry seem like a perfect family portrait. Draco stood proudly, his hands resting on the shoulders of his eldest children. Hermione was standing beside them, their little boy in her arms and her perfectly rounded stomach protruding in front of her.

"Harry, I would like you to meet my family. This is, obviously, Draco; my husband." Harry couldn't help but feel a weird sensation in the pit of his stomach – it was obvious that they would be married, but it was so strange hearing it. "Jackson and Adalynn were born in 2000. They are clearly twins and a downright shock when we found out, but definitely a blessing. And this,-" she said, bouncing the child in her arms. "-is Grayson. He is a year and a half. Children, this is one of Mummy's closest friends. His name is Harry Potter."

Harry was about to reply when Draco cut him off. "Mya, you forgot the last of the Malfoy family." He turned with a proud smile on his face. "Potter, we are expecting another girl in two months. We're going to name her Chloelia."

Harry couldn't help but smile. His best friend was so blissfully happy – it was more than he could have ever hoped for. "So, tell me everything."

Draco had taken the children into the kitchen and was preparing lunch for everyone, much to Harry's surprise. "Take a seat, Harry. I'll be back in a moment."

Harry complied, sitting in a plush single recliner. He had so many questions and he was truly hoping that they would be answered. Hermione came back into the room, a familiar looking object in her hands. She placed it gently on the oak table in front of him.

"This will hopefully answer all your questions. It is a collection of our most important memories from the past eight years. We have been collecting them for the day we returned. Just promise me something." She spoke softly, a hint of pleading in her eyes. Harry nodded – he would do anything to have his friend back for good. "Look at them without any bias. I don't want you to ask me any questions and I won't answer any until you have seen it all. Take the Pensieve back with you and let the others see. It will be easier this way."

As Harry left, he thought about everything that had happened since their last year at school. Hermione was right, he needed to watch the whole thing first. He needed to know the truth.

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**A/N: Please review! Much appreciated!**


	3. Chapter II

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**A/N: I am warning you that I am changing the ending of what happened in the sixth book – because quite frankly, it made me unhappy! So in this world, Draco and Snape never planned to or actually killed Dumbledore!**

**Thank you to those who have left reviews!**

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**Chapter II**

**Eight years earlier**

**Malfoy Manor**

Draco Malfoy had woken up early that morning, as he had for the past few weeks. He had been unable to sleep, his mind tormented. It had been only weeks since his father had escaped from Azkaban, a mere few weeks since Amycus Carrow had passed Dumbledore in Hogsmeade and attempted to take the old man's life. He had been amongst those surprised when Dumbledore had appeared a few days later in front of the distraught, mourning staff of Hogwarts. His body was as still as solid as before; he was, it seemed, reincarnated. As delighted as everyone had been, all of those present had been incredibly confused.

The Headmaster had been given a strong glass of Veritaserum and asked about all that had passed in the prior few days. He simply smiled that all-knowing smile and declared that the Greek gods, most importantly Zeus, had decided that it was not his time to leave earth and that he was needed for much more important things. A vicious argument between Zeus and Hades had ensued, and eventually it had been decided that he could return to earth.

Naturally, he had added, Hades was incredibly enraged by the decision. And yet Persephone, despite her usually cold demeanour, had had an odd sparkle in her eyes. It was, he believe, quite like she had eaten a Lemon Drop. With this statement, it was clear to those present that Dumbledore was truly back, including the newly-reinstated Minister Fudge.

In the previous year, a whole barrage of Death Eaters had descended on the manor, using it as headquarters and a prison. Day in and out, Draco could hear the screams of those who had made the blunder of crossing the Dark Lord. The once glorious manor that had been in his family for generations had been turned into a house of horrors. Personally, he was reviled by it all.

Voldemort had been enraged with Lucius' failure in retrieving the prophecy, and if the whispers around the manor were true, he was intending to exact revenge against the Malfoy name; he had something horrible in store for both of the Malfoy men.

Draco, as much as he hated to admit it, was petrified. He had recently become witness to what happened to those who incurred Voldemort's wrath. His mother had begun to lock herself away in her personal den, away from the horrible deeds that were occurring in their basement. She had been cooing over Draco, aware of the danger he was in. She had always been fiercely protective of her son, and now that the impending war was coming closer, this had only increased.

During the rare times that he had alone with his mother, she urged him to take care of himself – to leave the world that his father had devoted his life to. She reminded him of the danger that he was in because of his father's transgressions. Draco had promised her that he would do his best to make a better life for himself, and he truly meant it.

Draco felt his heart sink as he heard a commotion coming from downstairs. He slowly crept out of his room and peered over the bannister. A group of Death Eaters had attacked a Muggle family in London and from the sounds of it, it had been a brutal assault.

He couldn't help but grimace as he noticed the spatters of blood on their dark robes, the liquid reflecting the hallway lights. He was turning back to his room, when the foyer doors flew open with a sickening crack. His maternal aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, strolled proudly through the doors, a limp body floating behind her. Curious, he hid behind a small alcove along the staircase, praying that the darkness would conceal his location.

As his aunt sauntered by with a malicious grin on her face, he tried to get a good look at the Death Eaters' captive. There was something familiar about her but he was only able to see a sliver of her face. Her brown curls lay in a mess across her face, matted with blood. Her feet were bare and her clothes in tattered, stained with smears of blood and dirt. Bellatrix jostled her in the air, laughing in amusement. The girl's hair fell away from her face, which was marred with cuts and blood. But Draco knew exactly who she was.

It was Hermione Granger.

**Granger Household**

Hermione made her way up to her room after helping her mother with the dishes. As much as she loved the Wizarding World, she loved the weeks that she spent with her family during the school holidays. Though her parents didn't quite understand her world, they were intrigued by it and would happily listen as she prattled on about the adventures she had experienced.

She frowned slightly as she entered her room. It was a complete mess. She had gone to Hogsmeade earlier in the day to buy the required textbooks and buy a few more robes. Her mother had been fascinated by everything she saw, as usual, and together they had spent a wonderful day wondering through the town.

She pulled out her suitcase and began to fold her purchases when she heard a loud crack come from downstairs. "Mum?" She called out, her eyebrow slightly crinkled. When she received no answer, she made her way to the staircase. "Mum? Dad? Is everything okay?" She listened closely; again, there was no reply but she could faintly hear movement coming from their family room.

Running to her room, she rummaged through her book-bag until she found her wand and made her way down the stairs. She was sure she was overreacting but after everything she had experienced in the Wizarding World, she knew that she could never be too cautious. Rounding the corner, she froze as she saw parents bound and gagged on the couch.

"Incarcerous!" In her peripheral vision, she saw a flash of light thundering towards her. Hermione felt struggled to inhale as ropes wound tightly around her body. She closed her eyes in defeat as her wand clattered to the ground. She was utterly helpless. It was only as she was moved to the armchair beside her parents that she realised the full extent of what was going on; there were six hooded figures in the room standing beside none other than Bellatrix Lestrange.

Hermione felt her heart sank; she knew exactly what these people were capable of. "What do you want?" She whispered, struggling to speak beneath the crushing force she could feel.

Lestrange meerly laughed menacingly, nodding towards the other Death Eaters. They slowly dropped their hoods causing her parents to gasp in horror. Hermione closed her eyes; the men that stood before her were known to be particularly brutal. Antonin Dolohov sneered at her. "So we meet again, Mudblood. You didn't think I'd forget you after our têtê-à-têtê last year."

Hermione glared at him. "Pathetic! Are you really proud about attacking a schoolgirl and her unarmed parents? It's rather sad, if you ask me." Hermione winced as Bellatrix's hand flew across her cheek. Her parents whimpered helplessly beside her.

"There is nothing shameful about what we do. You are a pathetic Mudblood, less than the filth under my shoes. What is shameful is that you are allowed to call yourself a witch! We have come to take you to the Dark Lord, but I don't see why we cannot have a little fun first." Her eyes were filled with pure bloodlust as she spat at the Grangers.

Hermione struggled against her bindings. "Don't touch them!" She hissed, her eyes revealing her desperation. "Please just take me; I won't fight it…please." She felt her tears burning a path down her face. But she knew her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Crucio!"

She felt her body stiffen as pain coursed through her. She could hear herself whimpering, trying with all her might to not cry out. She gasped as Lestrange lifted the curse, evidently disappointed at her silence.

"Have it your way, Mudblood. Crucio!"

She tried in vain to shut out the sound of her parents' screams – as much as she wished it would draw help, she knew they would have cast a silencing charm on the house. Her tears now freely spilling down her face, as her parents whimpered in agony with each curse that was thrown their way. The torment dragged on and yet she could do nothing but whisper "I'm sorry" and "I love you" over and over again. Hermione heard her parents gasp for air as there was temporary relief from the barrage of spells.

The Death Eaters snickered, sneering at the Muggles in front of them. "Say goodbye, Mudblood. You don't have much longer."

Hermione struggled to speak, her voice choking with sobs as she professed her love to her parents. Her heart heaved with pain as they whispered back their love through their pain. And with that, she would never speak to them again.

She shut her eyes and clenched her jaw as she heard numerous curses being yelled. "Sectumsempra!" She felt a spray of blood as her father screamed in pain and her mother shrieked in horror. She cracked her eyes open, glancing over to her parents. "Expulso viscera!" She felt her stomach lurch as her parents were both hit with Entrail-Expelling curses, her body shaking with anguish. Rocking forwards, she couldn't stop herself from retching.

She felt empty and numb, unable to react as her body was lifted in the air. Her life would never be the same.

**Malfoy Manor**

Her screams seemed to reverberate through the mansion, unrelentingly. Draco closed his eyes, willing the noise to go away. He was trying to distract himself by reading, but he simply could not get engrossed in the book. This wasn't the first time he had heard someone being tortured since the holidays had started but this time, it was different. This was someone he knew; someone he respected, if he had to admit it. Despite the fact that she could be incredibly irritating, she was unbelievably intelligent, hardworking and loyal to a fault. If it hadn't been for their contrasting bloodlines, they would most likely have been friends, he thought.

He grimaced as he heard another wave of screams. She was getting weaker and weaker, her cries reflecting her frailty. Draco slammed his book shut; he couldn't just sit around any longer. He had to get Granger out of here – he just had to figure out how to keep the men who had so rudely invaded his home preoccupied.

He marched towards his mother's den, startling her as he threw the doors open. "Mother, I cannot take this!" He declared, his frustration turning into anger.

"Hush, Draco!" She hissed, scurrying to close the doors. "They will hear you!" His mother was right – one wrong move and he would have the full force of the Death Eaters on him. He had to be careful.

"Mother, I cannot just sit by and listen as they torture my own classmate. That girl in there is one of Potter's trio – they will spare her no mercy. I have to help her."

Narcissa slowly lowered herself into the armchair behind her, her face etched with worry. "Draco, please think. Do you not understand how dangerous this will be? You know that if you do this, you will never be allowed back. I-I don't think I could lose you." She ended in a whisper, her eyes glistening with tears.

His shoulders slumped at the thought of never being able to return home; but he knew there was no other choice. Reaching over to grasp his mother's hand, he whispered "I know."

The next day, there had been a large uproar in the manor. The Order of the Phoenix had discovered the ravaged bodies at the Granger household and had publically declared that they would stop at nothing to find Hermione. This was exactly what the Dark Lord had hoped for. He had called for all a meeting with all of his followers in the manor's expansive ballroom, which, luckily for Draco, was at the opposing end to the basement entrance.

Draco was impatiently pacing in his room, his heart pounding in his anxiety. He nearly jumped as his door opened. Narcissa looked at him, nodding once before loudly declaring for the others to hear, "Draco, darling! We were supposed leave for Hogsmeade twenty minutes ago! Let's go!" She turned to leave, before racing back to her son. She held him close, placing a loving kiss on his cheek before turned on her heel and leaving the room.

She left the manor in a hurry, her robes catching in the wind. Draco watched through the window as she left, his heart aching – this would be the last time he saw his mother for quite a while. Closing his eyes for a moment, he steels himself for the task ahead. He had already gathered all of his belongings into a few suitcases, shrinking them to fit into his pocket. Placing a dark robe over himself, he brought his hood up, hoping that he would not draw any attention to himself on his way to the dungeons.

Racing down the basement stairs as quietly as possible, he began searching the vast chambers. The pungent stench of death rose to meet him, a remnant of the horrors that had been perpetrated within. He made his way towards the doors that led into what his father had macabrely coined the 'Red Room' – a testament to the destruction of life that had been caused within its walls.

Cracking the door open, he saw a petite silhouette in her corner. Her legs were painfully curled underneath her, her body trembling with weakness. Draco couldn't help but feel his stomach lurch at the site. Her near-naked body was covered in both dried and fresh blood, swollen lashed marring her skin. Her body quivered as she struggled to take slow painful breaths. She barely moved as he approached her, willing herself to withdraw away from his footsteps.

Moving so that she could see him, he knelt beside her and gently moved her matted hair out of her face. She flinched at the touch, her body trembling with fear. As her eyes fell upon him, they widened with recognition and panic. "P-please" She croaked, her voice cracking in her feeble state.

Reviled by the damage he saw, he hushed her. "Shh…don't speak. I am going to get you out of here." After placing a strong concealment charm over her, he picked her up in his arms, grimacing as she whimpered in pain with the contact. Carefully making his way into the main foyer, he gently pushed the doors open with his back and snuck through them. To anyone who saw him, it appeared as though he was carrying a pile of old clothes in his arms to discard. Moving as fast as he could, he made his way through the gates, instantly Apparating to St. Mungos' Hospital.

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**A/N: Please review! It helps me write! **


	4. Chapter III

**Disclaimer: only the plot is mine!**

**A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed, especially RobynRavenclaw98, thatharrypottergeekychick16 and dutch potterfan.**

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**Chapter III**

**St Mungo's Hospital**

Albus Dumbledore was anxiously pacing along the corridor of the hospital. He had received a frantic visit from Remus Lupin who had been charged with coordinating the search for Hermione Granger. He had been urgently contacted by the staff at the hospital, informing of the horrific state in which the girl had arrived, in the arms of no other than Draco Malfoy himself.

He had suddenly appeared at the reception with the ravaged girl in his arms, barking for someone to help him. Covered in her blood, he had been promptly detained by the hospital guards and thoroughly interrogated by Lupin himself, with the help of a certain potion of course. Lupin had admitted with surprise that Draco had truly rescued the girl from captivity.

The Healers had been working on Hermione for the better part of the past few hours. He had banished Harry, Ron and Ginny from the hospital after only a half hour; they had been badgering every Healer they saw, hindering them from their work. Meanwhile, Draco had been taken to the safety of his office – Albus could barely imagine what the ramifications would be once Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy found out what the boy had done. His bravery was truly impressive.

He turned expectantly as his name was called. The Healer walked towards him, a sad expression on his face. He could only plead to Merlin that she would be alright.

A week had passed since the events at Malfoy Manor. Hermione's wounds had been healed instantaneously, with the numerous healing charms that had been placed on her. And yet she had truly needed the whole week to completely recover from the violence that had been imposed on her. Her mind and body had been wracked with pain and hurt, and it would take her a lot long to recover from the psychological consequences of what had happened.

Engrossed in her thoughts, she barely noticed the two people who had appeared in the room. Dumbledore smiled warmly at her, Draco awkwardly standing by his side. "Hermione, I believe that you are being discharged today. I thought Draco could come along and help. One of my dear friends is unfortunately here – I must pop in and visit him." And with those words, he simply left.

Draco slowly sat in the small chair beside her bed. Despite her vulnerability, she was quite beautiful. "So…how are you?" He asked.

A soft chuckle escaped her full lips. "I have been better, trust me. But I do have you to thank for my life. Healer Clancy told me that if you hadn't acted, I wouldn't have survived much longer. I don't know how I will ever repay you."

Draco smiled softly. "You don't owe me anything, Hermione. You…" He hesitated. "You helped me escape my life…and my father." He looked down awkwardly, not sure what else to say. "So Professor Dumbledore told me that the people who witnessed us arriving have been Obliviated. There's been nothing in the papers, or anything like that."

Hermione smiled at him. She had so many questions to ask him about that night and what he had been thinking. But she knew that it wasn't the right moment – there was plenty of time for that. She gently raised herself out of the bed, wincing at the discomfort that she felt with the movement. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a look of concern on Draco's face. His pity frustrated her; she hated appearing weak to those around her, especially someone who had been the bane of her existence for such a long time. But as much as this disgruntled her, she honestly did need his help.

After they had gathered her scarce belongings, they chatted lightly until Dumbledore returned. With his usual joyful smile, he led the pair back to Hogwarts.

Hermione and Draco followed Dumbledore in comfortable silence to his rather oddly decorated office. They both seated themselves in the armchairs positioned across from the desk, waiting patiently as the elderly man gave a few treats to his beloved pet, Fawkes. He sat down in his chair and smiled adoringly at his two students.

"I know that the past two weeks have been rather traumatic for the two of you and that a lot has happened. And I am also aware that neither of you are probably eager to talk about it all. So I shall leave it at that. But I do have some rather important news to discuss with you." A distinct gleam appeared in his eyes, as he shifted his gaze to the brunette girl.

"Hermione, throughout your time at Hogwarts you have shown nothing but determination, loyalty and purity of heart. You exemplify what we could hope of a Hogwarts student in all that you do. It is my pleasure to offer you the position of our Head Girl."

Hermione gasped with pleasure, before giving way to a fit of coughs. After composing herself, she smiled widely at her dear mentor and gratefully accepted the responsibility.

He smiled at her before turning his eyes upon Draco. "And you, my boy, have not always been my first choice for Head Boy. You have always been quite intelligent; your grades are only second to Hermione's. And now, Draco, your actions have spoken to us clearly. You demonstrated nothing but true strength and bravery in defying your upbringing and saving Hermione's life. It is my honour to offer you the position of Head Boy."

Draco couldn't help but stare at the quirky old man. He had always wanted to become Head Boy but he had truthfully never thought that it would happen. He excitedly agreed, thanking the Headmaster profusely.

Hermione couldn't help but gasp as she entered the Heads Quarters behind Dumbledore. The room was behind a beautiful portrait of a dashing knight holding the hand of a striking peasant girl, his other hand holding the reigns of a regal horse. She couldn't help but see the similarity between the portrait and the new Head students; Draco hailed from a prestigious family and was quite adored by the female population at Hogwarts whilst Hermione had always been a rather plain, simple girl.

The room before her had off-white walls with deep oak floorboards. The deep chocolate colour of the couches and dark oak furniture contrasted brilliantly with the colour of the room. There were accents of red and green throughout the room; from the cushions and lampshades to the two luscious throws and plush rugs. It was quite beautiful.

The trio made their way up the posh staircase and through one of the two doorways on the landing. They were standing in a similarly decorated bedroom with a large king-sized bed in the middle. Beside the bedroom was a bathroom. The floors and walls were covered with black marble tiles with wisps of white within it. There was a large porcelain spa bath, large enough for two people to comfortably fit in it. The large vanity had a beautiful marble top with silver furnishings, complementing the silver shower frames and towel railings.

Draco cocked his head as he noticed another door linked into the bathroom. Whilst Hermione admired the furnishings, he opened the door to see where it led. To his surprise, he was back out on the landing. His eyebrows furrowed; where was the other bedroom?

Hermione followed after him, her face contorting with confusion as she too noticed the distinct lack of a room. Dumbledore chuckled at their faces, before asking them to join him in the lounge area. He sat down from them and took a deep breath before beginning.

"There is another very important issue that I need to discuss with the both of you. I know that both of you are aware of the impending war. A prophecy, as you know Hermione, was once made that Harry must kill Voldemort, or vice versa, and that only one can survive." He continued on, ignoring the surprise on Draco's face.

"At a similar time, another prophecy was made; one that is deeply linked to the first – it is vital to the Light Side succeeding in this war. I was unsure of the two people it concerned…until the events that transpired recently. If you will…" He indicated to the small Pensieve in front of him. Hermione and Draco complied, drawing their wands and entering the memory alongside Dumbledore.

_A younger Dumbledore was slowly walking through the corridors of his school on his way to visit Sybill Trelawney. He had been intending to see how her first year of teaching had been going and now seemed to be a perfect opportunity seeing neither of them had any scheduled commitments._

_He entered the room and called out her name. He heard a noise behind him and spun to see her seated at one of the desks which were usually used for her students. Her breathing was haggard and her eyes glazed over. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, the contact causing her to speak in an eerie voice._

"_One with love abounding in her life,_

_The other having dealt with horrid strife._

_The two will join in mind and body,_

_Chosen as children as the ones they embody._

_Their marriage will bring closer his demise,_

_Their union must be kept from prying eyes._

_Yet their joining will further bring,_

_A strong and powerful offering._

_Emotions evolving like a bud to a flower,_

_They will join with pronounced power._

_Her life will be troubled by torture,_

_Yet he will be the one to save her._

_Together happiness they shall bestow,_

_And their love shall forever flow._

_Together they will bring the day,_

_When the evil one down will lay."_

With the end of those words, Dumbledore pulled the three of them out of the memory.

"Think carefully, my children. After all that transpired last week, I am certain that this prophesy speaks in reference to the two of you." He paused to let the two students absorb what he had just told them. "I am telling you this because only the two of you can help Harry defeat Voldemort. I know that this is a lot to process but it is of the utmost importance that you understand the implications of this prophecy. Once every 100000 years, two are chosen by their antecedents as the 'Golden Disciples'. The most well-known of your antecedents was Merlin himself. I know that this is a lot to expect of you at this age…but the prophecy clearly states that you…you must marry each other."

Draco spluttered, staring at the man before him. Hermione let out a small, strange noise before closing her eyes. Surely this was a joke! They couldn't really be asking them to marry each other when they had been enemies a mere few weeks ago.

"I am sorry, my children; I know it may not be the most optimal situation but it is extremely important for the cause." Draco couldn't help but scoff at his words.

"There is not much known about the Golden Disciples; as the prophecy indicates, only a few should know about this. I believe it is for your own safety, for many would be after you. At present only myself, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape are privy to this information." Draco opened his mouth to protest, cut off by Dumbledore chuckling and raising his hand.

"I know Severus is a Death Eater, dear boy. He is a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, the Light side. Now, we understand that this year will be very trying on you as you progress in your relationship and learn about the mysterious powers of the Disciples. We have decided that you shall have two Deputy Heads to assist you in your responsibilities – Anthony Goldstein of Ravenclaw and Sabrina Fawcett of Hufflepuff. They too will be privy to your situation."

"It is important the two of you are married as soon as possible. It would be disastrous to enforce this with your history and so I hope you will use the next two weeks to develop somewhat of a relationship. At the end of this time, you shall be married by myself in the presence of the two professors and your aides. We will then give you a few days to yourselves in the countryside to adjust to your new roles as husband and wife."

He looked at the pair before slowly standing up. "I know that this is a lot for you both to take in. Please know that I wish there were another way without forcing your hand – but alas, the fates have spoken."

And with that he left the Heads Quarters, leaving the flabbergasted pair in what was now a very uncomfortable silence.

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**A/N: I hope you all liked it! This was sort of an introduction to the main idea behind the story. Please review and give me any suggestions you may have!**


	5. Chapter IV

**Disclaimer: nope, no, nein!**

**A/N: I really appreciate those who took the time to review! I had hoped to generate a bit more excitement about the story with the last chapter; but alas only four of you seemed to enjoy it. Hopefully it'll get better from here on?**

**_thatharrypottergeekychick16_ – I'm so happy you like the chapter! And thank you for your reviews – they are so very much loved!**

**_Aria_ – it made me unbelievably happy to know that you're enjoying the story that much! It makes me want to write more and more!**

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**Chapter IV**

Needless to say, the night before had been a rather awkward affair. After Dumbledore's departure, they had proceeded to get ready for bed in silence. They had both stood beside the sole bed, awkwardly staring ahead before climbing in. The pair had settled in, stiffly lying in the bed, trying to avoid any physical contact with each other.

Draco stirred as the sunlight crept in through the small gap between the curtains. He had slept rather fitfully, his mind plagued with the events of the night before. Hermione, on the other hand, had slept like a log – which was rather understandable given what she had just gone through.

He had to say that he was quite proud of himself. He had managed to compose himself last night, without any uproars of indignation. He thought he had finally escaped the expectations placed on him by his family and now this – he was responsible for saving the Wizarding world! It was really absurd in his eyes; after all, they were only children.

He crept out of the bed, hoping that he wouldn't arouse Hermione. The last thing he wanted was to deal with any awkward situations right. He needed time to think and the only place he could truly do that was in the air over the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch.

She couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that Draco wasn't in their commons when she woke up. She had hoped to talk to him about their future and the implications of the prophecy; she always believed that the best way to deal with unexpected news was to do so in a logical manner. She was the sole student in the Great Hall when Draco strolled in. She was taken aback by just how good he looked.

Hermione was a smart girl – as much as she fought with the Slytherin boy, she had always known that he was fairly easy on the eyes. And yet today, he was even better looking. His hair was tousled messily, contrasting to his usual slicked-back look and his face had a rosy flush to them. Hermione cursed under her breath as she felt herself her cheeks heat up; this was simply embarrassing.

Draco couldn't help but smirk at he noticed her cheeks rouge. She was staring at the plate in front of her, rather embarrassed; and for some reason, that made him smile. He wasn't quite sure – but he put it down to the fact that Draco Malfoy loved having girls fawning over him, no matter who it was. He seated himself across from her and began serving himself after they had exchanged pleasantries.

Hermione cleared her throat, hoping to catch his attention. He raised an eyebrow at her, his mouth full of food. "So Malfoy – we obviously have a lot of to talk about." He couldn't help but smirk at her – clearly the events of last week had done nothing to change her take-charge attitude. He nodded at her and waited for her to continue.

"We don't really have much of a choice about any of this – so I think we should try to be as civil as possible. After all, we are both practically adults and I wouldn't exactly call us enemies anymore." Sadness flitted across her face, disappearing almost as fast as it had appeared. She shifted uncomfortable in her seat before inviting him to spend the day in the grounds of Hogwarts with her.

She had patiently waited for him to finish eating before they took a stroll through the sprawling gardens. He couldn't help but glance over at her, noting how the sunlight made her hair look like a fiery mane. She looked rather majestic, like the unstoppable force she portrayed herself as. If he had to be honest with himself, having her as a wife wouldn't be all that awful. She was a force to be reckoned with; the smartest witch that Hogwarts had seen for a while, confident in herself and rather beautiful, in an unconventional way.

He felt himself blush; a mere week ago, he would most definitely have not been thinking like this. But that felt like a lifetime ago. What else did he have left? After last week, he didn't have a home or a family anymore. He was alone and free to be the man he had always wanted to be, without his father's shadow looming over him.

"Um, Malfoy?" He was pulled out of his thoughts by her voice calling his name. To his surprise, she was seated at the bench overlooking the lake; her eyebrow was raised at him with a slight smile playing on his lips. He felt his ears flush in embarrassment; he had been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed her stop.

"Draco." He said softly, seating himself beside her. "If you're going to be my wife, you probably should call me by my name." He could see the surprise etched across her face.

"Right…of course." She stammered. "As long as you call me Hermione."

Hermione was, as per usual, in the library. They had made the decision search for information regarding the Golden Disciples and exactly what that meant. After all, this was their destiny and they would be damned if they were going into this without any information whatsoever. After all, she was Hermione Jean Granger and Merlin be damned, she was going to be as prepared as possible.

Her eyebrows knitted together, as she pored over the pages of '_Magical Legends and Folk Tales'_. Madame Pince had raised her eyebrows at Hermione's request; it was rather rare for the girl to be interested in anything that wasn't strictly factual. But seeing the determination on the girl's face, she made no comment and simply gave her a list of books to consider.

She felt her heart leap as she finally came across what she was looking for. She paused for a moment. What if she didn't like what she read? What if it was worse than not knowing the truth? Hermione steeled herself; whatever she read she would deal with – this was, after all, her destiny.

'_For centuries, there has been speculation regarding the existence of two guardians of the Wizarding World, also known as the Golden Disciples. Whether or not they truly do exist, it is believed that two people (one male and one female) are chosen by their antecedents in times of disruption, instability and turmoil. The pioneer of the Disciples is rumored to be Merlin, along with his wife Gwendolen._

_In the last 1700s, ancient diaries though to be authored by the great wizard were discovered amongst English ruins. Though little is known about these safe-keepers, there are certain attributes that are thought to apply to them._

_It is believed that the Disciples must be married within weeks of being appointed by their predecessors. Their union, both ceremonial and in consummation, will herald the development of great power. The pair will be bound both spiritually and physically, their bond incomparable to that of the average couple._

_It is also believed that In order to ensure the joining of the two chosen ones, they will experience a hastening of their emotional bond from the time of their selection. After the pair join as husband and wife, they will develop incredible Magical power; thought to be vital to their role in relieving the disorder for which they are appointed.'_

Hermione felt her cheeks burn as she read through the passage. Consummation? They were expected to consummate their marriage?! Her stomach erupted in butterflies, as she tried to push any thoughts of physical intimacy out of her mind. Steeling herself for what was sure to be an uncomfortable conversation, she made a copy of the passage to share with 'her betrothed'.

Draco couldn't help but feel his heart pound as he prepared himself for bed. His discussion with Hermione had been rather unnerving. She had explained her findings to him, refusing to meet his gaze. He had been unsure of how to respond when Hermione had launched into what was a practical approach to their circumstances. If they were to carry out the requirements of being Golden Disciples, they would have to at least be comfortable with each other and get used to each other's presence.

He mulled over what he had been told. He supposed it did make sense. He had already taken a stronger liking to the Gryffindor, noticing her beauty and somewhat mystical appeal. There was something different about her; she was nothing like most of the girls he knew.

He ran his hand through his hair, eyeing himself in the expansive mirror. If he was to be honest with himself, he was to gain a lot more than her out of this whole thing. What female would choose to marry him? None of his family friends would accept him, after all he had 'dishonored' his family. And as for most of the other eligible witches, they wouldn't be all so excited about marrying a Death Eater's son. Hermione, on the other hand, had her pick of suitors. She was beloved by all her dear Gryffindors and the majority of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Though she wasn't the most traditionally beautiful woman, he had seen many classmates fawning over her.

Preparing himself for what was sure to be a rather restless night, he made his way into the bedroom. He nearly stumbled in shock, his jaw hanging slack as he quickly halted in his tracks. The petite brunette was standing beside the bed, a nervous smile on her delicate face.

His eyes raked over her body, noticing with amusement that she was adorned in emerald green. She was wearing a lace-adorned silk cami and shorts. He suppressed the urge to reach out and feel her skin; but he was sure that it was just as soft as it seemed. Her wild curls were framing her face, giving her an air of regality. She was truly beautiful, especially with the light rouge that was appearing in her cheeks.

Whilst Draco was in the bathroom, Hermione was nervously pacing around the bedroom. She had only once spent the night in the same bed as another boy and it had been simply platonic. But this was so very different; not only was this her future husband but they had been rivals a mere few weeks ago.

Since that day in Malfoy Manor, she knew that her impression of the boy was vastly different to what it had been before. He had stumbled into her life in such an unexpected manner, and yet he was already so important to him; after all, she owed him her life. His attitude to her over the past years had been a façade, just as she had always suspected.

She had always known that he was a very intelligent and capable Wizard; if it weren't for her, he would have placed first in all their mutual classes. And as much as she would have denied it in the past, he was a very good-looking boy. His features were defined and oh so masculine; and his eyes had the capability to hold such raw emotion as she had seen in the dungeons that day. His physique had the ability to make most of the female population swoon and on the rare occasion that he did smile, it quite literally took her breath away.

She froze as she heard the bathroom door open, her eyes widening as she gazed upon the wizard in front of her. He was wearing a simple pair of black boxer shorts, the dark colour contrasting wonderfully with his smooth pale skin. His hair was messy, just as it had been before; he looked boyish and yet so much more mature than he ever had. His stomach was just as defined as she had always expected, his form proving that he was most definitely not a boy anymore but a man. Hermione felt her breath catch as he raked his hand through his locks, his muscle tensing with the movement.

She felt her cheeks heat up, mentally cursing herself for it. And then she noticed his eyes looking her up and down; he was looking at her hungrily as if she was some delicious meal. For some strange reason, it made her feel warm inside. She couldn't remember ever being looked at in such a carnal way.

They remained in silence until he approached the bed. "So…I guess we should just…get in bed." He muttered, hearing the nerves in his voice.

Hermione nodded, her logical side taking over. Climbing into bed, she smiled up at him. "Just pretend I'm not me."

She was taken aback by the annoyance in his eyes. "There's nothing wrong with being you." He stated, settling into the bed beside her. "In fact, I'm rather glad it is you." He turned off the lights with a flick of his wand, but not before noticing the surprise on her face.

She silently lay beside him, shivering as he placing his arm around her. She momentarily stiffened at the contact before relaxing her body against his. Warmth spread over her body as he wrapped his arms around her. She was nervous and yet she felt safe and sheltered against him. She took a deep breath in, taking in his scent; his cologne smelt like spices and pine. It was subtle and yet overwhelmingly masculine. It had been a long time since she had felt like this.

Draco was taken aback by how comfortable it felt having her pressed against him. Her skin was just as soft as it had seemed. She seemed to fit perfectly against him, like two matching pieces of a puzzle. She smelt like a bouquet of flowers; so feminine and endearing. Despite his mind warning him to be careful, he placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder, eliciting a soft gasp from the woman in his arms. He wasn't quite sure what had overcome him, but it had felt…well, damn it all, it felt right.

Draco couldn't help but smile; his ancestors were most certainly turning in their graves. If only his father could see him now. And with that thought, he made a decision.

There was nothing conventional about their situation but she most definitely deserved the tradition. Tomorrow, he would buy her a ring.

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**A/N: I hope you all liked it. I feel like I'm struggling to keep a good pace in the development of their relationship. Please let me know what you think!**


	6. Chapter V

**Disclaimer: unfortunately, this is still not mine!**

**A/N: thank you to those that did review - it means so much knowing that you are enjoying/appreciating my writing.**

**Special thanks to thatharrypottergeekychick16 and dutch potterfan who have faithfully left reviews for this story!**

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**Chapter V**

Nestled in the large armchair in the commons, Hermione looked ever so engrossed in the book on her lap. But her mind was far from the words in front of her – no, they were utterly and completely fixed on the wizard to whom she was inexplicably linked. She had woken up the next morning encased in the warmth of his embrace. They had somehow become entangled, their legs entwined, in the sheets as they slept. His muscular torso had been pressed against her, his hot breath caressing her shoulder. It had taken all her willpower to rip herself out of his embrace.

Their first week as a betrothed couple had gone by surprisingly fast. Dumbledore had given her the opportunity to bury her parents, albeit under a guise. After all, the Death Eaters were surely after her and Draco. The short ceremony had occurred at the cemetery that her grandparents were buried, attended by only herself, Draco and Dumbledore. Her heart felt as though it had been ripped out; her only regret was that she hadn't been able to stay by their tombstones for much longer.

Her relationship with Draco had most certainly progressed; it was rather hard not to feel something for the man who had sheltered her in his arms for the past seven nights. He had a captivating smile; it really was a shame that he didn't use it more often. Each time he laughed, it made her breath hitch and her legs feel weak.

She was now waiting for him, willing the images of his delightful physique out of her head. Draco had invited her out on their first official 'date', if it could really be called that. This was the second time he had disappeared this week and when she had asked him what he could possibly be doing all day, he had given her a sly smile before leaving their Commons.

Hermione jumped as she was yanked out of her thoughts by the sound of the Commons door opening. Her eyes widened as she took in the man before her. Draco's hair was tousled lightly over his face, as it had been since their arrival at Hogwarts. He was wearing a simple pair of dark jeans and a well-fitted black shirt. She could practically hear her heart beating in her ears, wishing that her eyes weren't giving away her attraction to him.

As simple as his outfit was, she felt awfully underdressed in the plain dress she was wearing. "Oh my, look at me! I'll just go change!" She gasped, pushing herself out of her seat.

In a few swift strides, he was grasping her hand. "Nonsense, Hermione. You look perfect." He murmured, his steel eyes burning into hers.

Somewhat lost for words, she let him lead her through the school's halls. "So where exactly are you taking me?" He had been incredibly secretive about his plans for the evening, not to mention she hadn't seen him since lunch that afternoon. The wizard merely gave her a surprisingly timid smile, before coming to an abrupt stop; she was barely able to stop herself from walking straight into him.

They were standing outside the Room of Requirements, a place she had become quite familiar with in their fifth year. Draco paced in front of the room in deep concentration until the door materialised in front of her. He opened the door for her, dazzling her with the sheepish smile that adorned his face. She gasped aloud at the room before her – it was incredibly beautiful.

The room was dimly light, multiple ribbons of tiny lights draped along the roof. There was a single mahogany dining table in the centre, encircled with tiny glimmering candles. He led her to the table as she took in the Parisian landscape that seemed to be surrounding them – it was certainly a magical illusion, but it was absolutely breathtaking nevertheless.

Draco was being a perfect gentleman. He pulled out a chair for her, before pouring her a glass of red currant wine. Noticing her apprehensive gaze, he winked at her; "No need to get riled up. I made sure to get Dumbledore's permission."

Hermione suppressed the urge to confirm that he was indeed telling the truth. He had clearly put a lot of effort into their evening and she wasn't going to ruin it all by being her usual curious self. Blushing at the fact that he could read her so well, she thanked him as he sat in the seat perpendicular to her.

Almost instantaneously, the plates in front of her were filled with what appeared to be a delicious assortment of Italian dishes. As they shared their meals, they chatted amicably. She felt utterly comfortable around him; she supposed that it was to be expected, given that he had been the one to rescue her. As they finished their meals, their dirty plates were replaced by a tasting plate of chocolate éclairs, profiteroles and two small pots of crème brulée.

The wizard chuckled as Hermione's eyes widened, her delight at the deserts evident. She blushed at his amusement, pulling her hand away from the plate. With a grin on his face, he picked up a profiterole before popping it into her mouth. Her eyes closed as she savoured the taste, a soft moan escaping her mouth. Draco couldn't help but feel his heart race at the noise.

He cleared his throat, a blush rising through his cheeks. "Hermione…" He paused, grasping for the words he had so carefully rehearsed earlier in the day. She looked at him, cocking her head to the side.

"Yes?" She urged him on after finishing her delectable mouthful. Her eyebrows knitted together; he was nervously fidgeting in his seat, his face betraying his nervousness as he took a deep breath.

"I know that this situation may not be all that ideal for you. But I want you to know that I am lucky to be marrying you. You are such an incredible, intelligent witch; to the point that you make me feel inadequate, which is rare for a Malfoy." He stated, eliciting a chuckle from the witch.

"And though you may not think so, you are absolutely ravishing." He warmed as he noticed her blush. "This past week with you has been unbelievable and somehow, it feels so right falling sleep and waking up with you in my arms." Hermione blush widened as her thoughts from earlier this evening flooded back to her.

"You are truly one-of-a-kind and if I am being completely honest, I like you…a lot. And so it's only right that I make this official. Hermione Jean Granger, will you give me the pleasure of being your husband for life and all of eternity?"

Hermione stared as he revealed a small velvet box, seemingly from nowhere. As he opened the box, she struggled to catch her breath. The ring in front of her was set in an intricately carved rose gold band, adorned with a large central diamond and two smaller champagne gold diamonds on either side. She took a deep rasping breath, her hands trembling over her gaping mouth.

Draco could feel his palms getting clammier with each moment that passed. She certainly looked pleased with the unique ring he had commissioned for her; but her silence was taunting him. "Hermione?" He whispered, afraid that she would reject his amorous gesture.

Her eyes shot to hold his gaze, as she took a deep breathe in. "Yes! Of c-course!" She stammered, her eyes dancing with joy.

Feeling relief wash over his body, he removed the ring from its case and slipped it on her finger. Hermione felt tears spring to her eyes as she marveled at the striking band that was now gracing her hand. Without thinking she leapt forward, her lips pressing against his.

His body stiffened for a moment before he reciprocated the kiss, his hand rising to cup her cheek. Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling him closer against her. He felt warmth rise up from his gut as his other hand rested on her hip, his tongue flickering across her lip. She moaned lightly allowing her lips to part, as they began a battle for dominance.

Almost as suddenly as the moment began, it ended as they both gasped for air. Hermione felt her desire grow, noticing that his eyes had darkened in exhilaration. He rested his forehead on hers as he tried to catch his breath, his eyes drawn to her lips as she unintentionally nibbled on the lower edge. A guttural groan escaped his lips as his arousal grew; he pulled away from her knowing that he was close to crossing the line.

They finished their deserts with interlinking hands, before making their way to their Commons and to their bedroom. As they lay down to sleep, Draco again wrapped his arms around his fiancée, pressing her back against his chest. Unable to help himself, he slowly made a trail of kisses from her neck to the tip of her shoulder, his hand lazily drawing patterns on her stomach. He was gratified as he felt her body shiver in response. He inwardly cursed as he felt his lust for the petite witch grow with each movement and contact.

Hermione felt her skin burn where his lips had just been, each touch making her heart beat faster. Closing her eyes, it took all her might to hold back the soft moan that was threatening to escape. She felt as though her she couldn't think, her rational mind clouded with desire.

Giving her shoulder one final kiss, they soon drifted into a rather restless and heated night's sleep.

**Present Day**

**Potter Residence**

The three faces were contorted in shock as Harry pulled them out of the Pensieve. Ginny felt the corner of her lips twitch, trying to hold back a smile. She had always thought that the two would make a ravishing couple, if they ever managed to put their differences aside. Harry's face was simply…blank. He wasn't quite sure what to think or say. And Ron…well his face was becoming a deeper crimson colour by the second.

"What in the bloody hell?!" He exploded, slamming his fists onto the table in front of him. "She was with that ferret during the whole freaking year?" Ginny forced herself to stifle a giggle; her brother looked as though his eyes were going to burst from their sockets. She looked over at Harry expecting a response; her husband was still blankly staring at the Pensieve.

Rolling her eyes, she turned back to her brother. "Oh get over it Ron. It was eight years ago."

"Get over it? GET OVER IT?!" He was yelling with such a force that she could actually see spittle flying from his mouth. She grimaced in disgust before casting a soundproofing charm on the room. The last thing she needed was her brother's shouts waking James and Lily from their slumber.

"He knew." Harry mumbled, startling the two siblings. "He knew!" This time the statement was exclaimed as he jumped up from his chair. Lurching forward, he stormed towards the fireplace.

"Who knew, Harry? Where on earth are you going?" Ginny rushed to catch up with him.

He whipped around to face his wife, anger sparking in his eyes. "Dumbledore."

Dumbledore smiled knowingly as his beloved ex-student barged into his office. "Welcome Harry." He stated, rising to greet his friend.

"Don't give me that crap." Harry spat, as he slammed the door behind him. "You knew all along. You knew she was a disciple or whatever. You KNEW she was married to Malfoy. And yet you did NOTHING when we mourned, while a part of us died when she disappeared. You let us think we had lost her for good! Why, Albus? Why?"

Tears burned at his eyes as he glumly threw himself into a chair. He stared at the elderly professor, waiting for a response. Dumbledore sighed, removing his glasses and placing them in front of him.

"I couldn't, Harry. Telling you would have meant telling Ron and Ginny, and effectively the entire Weasley family." Harry opened his mouth to protest. Raising his hand to silence the younger man, Dumbledore continued. "You know it's true, Harry – you could never have kept the secret from your friends. "And as for her disappearance, we had no idea what would happen after Draco and Hermione fulfilled the prophecy; we simply did not have enough information. I truly did not know for certain that they were alive or where they were; I just knew that we couldn't give up hope."

Sighing wearily and giving his profuse apologies to the Headmaster, he returned to the Potter Residence. He found a somewhat calmer Ron and rather irate Ginny. He stifled a chuckle; as much as she loved her brother, he had a certain knack for getting under her skin.

Ron stood up defiantly. "Where is she, Harry? I want to go talk to her."

Shaking his head in response, Harry leaned against the doorway. "No, Ron. She asked that we wait until we finish the memories before asking her anything. And we are going to respect that. Now it's getting pretty late – go home and get some sleep and we'll start up again tomorrow."

**Malfoy Ranch; Van Wert, America**

Cursing quietly, Draco shuffled in his bed. The very loud and very persistent Muggle alarm clock that Hermione insisted on was ringing loudly. "For Pete's sake!" He yelled loudly, feeling the coming of a migraine. "Turn the sodding thing off! Hermione!"

Grumbling incoherently about the absurdities of complex Muggle inventions, he opened one eye to the harsh light emitted by their large chandelier. "Hermioneeeeee!" It was only then that he heard an amused sigh from beside him. Grinning lightly she whispered, "You can learn for yourself."

"ARGH!" His frustration was now all too clear for Hermione to see. Grabbing her pillow from underneath her, he covered his ears in a dire attempt to drown out the horrific sound. Needless to say, it did not work. He pulled the doona up as high over his head as he could. It still didn't work. Crying in frustration, he looked for a way to shut the darned thing up.

An idea suddenly popped into his mind. Grabbing the damned contraption, he glared at it. "Ooh look who's begging now! Within second, you'll be incapable of make one more bloody noise!" With an almost manic laugh, he flung the clock with all his might.

The clock came to a harsh halt as it collided with the wall, falling to the floor. But instead of falling silent as Draco had hoped, a dull croaking sound was incessantly calling out. "ARGH!" He yelled again, throwing his weight onto the bed, causing his petite wife to jostle around.

"Repario." A soft, amused voice muttered the charm, causing the maddeningly loud ringing to resume. Draco turned to glare at the woman who was elevating the clock back to its position on the bedside table. "You know," She whispered, a sparkle brightening her eyes. "All you needed to do was place one simple charm. Silencio." The ringing came to a complete stop, the sweet silence filling the room.

She slowly leaned over her husband, her soft curls tickling his bare chest. "If not that, you could have always done this." She reached out and clicked the little lever into the 'off' position. Hermione turned back to Draco, a true Malfoy smirk playing on her delicate lips.

"Whatever" He mumbled, feeling rather silly. "I'm going back to sleep." He closed his eyes, willing a bit more rest.

"Oh no you don't!" She scolded, lightly smacking his arm. "We have to be at the Belknap's place for dinner in less than an hour." Draco rolled over, groaning heavily. Raising children was a really exhaustive ordeal. Maybe one day soon he wouldn't be so tired.

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**A/N: Hope you liked this! I feel like I'm still struggling to keep a good pace in their relationship. Again, I really appreciate the reviews I have received! Please review and let me know what you think.**


	7. Chapter VI

**Disclaimer: it all belongs to JK Rowling**

**A/N:** **So you may or may not have noticed that I have changed the names of Hermione and Draco's children in Chapter I. I realised if their son was called Harrison, his nickname would be Harry, and I didn't quite like that.**

**I also changed the name of their daughter. She is named after a beautiful young girl I met during my paediatric oncology rotation; she is perhaps one of the most gorgeous little girls I have ever met!**

**Thank you to LadiePhoenix007, thatharrypottergeekychick16, dutch potterfan and Grovek26 for your reviews – it meant the world to me!**

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**Chapter VI**

**August 1997; Hogwarts**

A comfortable silence filled the common room as they quietly read. The days after their date had flown by without a hitch. They had spent their time on the expansive Hogwarts grounds; relaxing on the grass, basking in the warm sunlight and quite simply getting to know one another. It had been quite a surprise to find that they had a fair bit in common.

Much to Hermione's disbelief, Draco was an avid reader; he was nearly as bad as her. They had read many of the same books and Hermione had been pleasantly astonished to find that Draco was a fan of a range of Muggle authors. They were both very cultured, enjoying classical music and attending a handful of operas. Draco enjoyed going to the theatre with his family, as did Hermione with hers. She had been enthralled by the stories of magical plays and operas, unable to comprehend how such performances could be more enchanting than the Muggle ones were.

Anthony Goldstein and Sabrina Fawcett had arrived a few days ago; the presence of the four students at the school was explained as preparation for their roles as leaders in the school and adjustment to their newfound responsibility. Harry, Ron and Ginny had been incredibly upset, having only been able to spend time with Hermione whilst she was admitted at St. Mungo's Hospital. But they had been abated by Dumbledore who had explained that in the wake of an upcoming war, the Head students were facing increasing responsibility and unwanted burden and would need a period of preparation for their impending duties.

Needless to say, Anthony and Sabrina had been flabbergasted at the news of Hermione and Draco's engagement. After all, they had both been a part of Dumbledore's Army and had fallen victim to Draco's superiority on numerous occasions. Their jaws had fallen slack as they looked between the couple, their interlinked hands and the extraordinary ring adorning Hermione's left hand. They had looked upon the pair in new light after their role as the Golden Disciples was explained to them and had vowed to help them in any way possible.

It had been nice to have two more people in the school. Hermione had already been somewhat acquainted with the two students and much to everyone's surprise, Draco had become rather friendly with them. Sabrina had flown into a frenzy at Hermione's lack of preparation for the wedding, taking it upon herself to do everything she possibly could. It wasn't a difficult feat however; there would only be a few people in attendance.

Unable to focus on her book, Hermione wrung her hands nervously. Tomorrow was D-day. Tomorrow she was getting married…to Draco Malfoy of all people. Tomorrow was her wedding day, and her parents weren't going to be there. She felt her heart drop, tears burning at her eyes. They dropped from her face as she leaned forward, dark splotches appearing on her shirt.

Her body shook as a lump rose in her throat. As a little girl, she had dreamed of her wedding day; dreamed of her mother buttoning her dress, dreamed of walking down the aisle with her father. As much as she tried to remain silent, her body was overcome with sobs.

Draco turned bewildered as he heard his fiancée's cries. He froze in that moment; he had never been accomplished at consoling women. His mother always held herself in a stoic manner, never allowing her son to see any anguish. Steeling himself, he rose from his seat; this woman was going to be his wife and he truly wanted to be the best he could be.

Lowering himself beside her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him. His fingers traced circles on her back as he tried his best to soothe her. Hermione turned her face towards his chest, her tears leaving small damp patches on his shirt. He held and comforted her until her sobs died down.

Pulling her face away from his shirt, she looked up at him with glistening eyes. "I wish my parents…" She whispered, trailing off as her breath hitched. Draco simply nodded and pulled her back into him, knowing that there were no words that would help her in this moment. He simply held her for what seemed like hours until she slowly pulled away from him. "I'm exhausted and you'll need your beauty sleep for tomorrow." She said, weakly chuckling at her own comment.

He let out a soft laugh as his thumbs wiped her tears from her cheeks. "That is most definitely true." He murmured before placing a soft kiss on her nose.

Hermione had been woken up rather early that morning by an exuberant Sabrina. She had practically dragged the bride out of bed and through the corridors to the Hufflepuff dormitories, exclaiming that there was much work to be done before the wedding.

Draco was ready, pacing along the length of their commons. In a mere half hour, he was going to be a married man – married to Hermione Granger. If anyone had told him this a year ago, he would have laughed in their faces and almost definitely hexed them. And yet here he was, dressed and ready to stand at the end of that aisle, awaiting his bride who was sure to be a vision coming down that aisle. He smiled thinking about his visit at Madame Azalea's Gems, a jewelry shop in Hogsmeade that was known for its upper-class reputation.

_[Flashback]_

_Madame Azalea cocked her eyebrow in surprise as the young man entered her shop. After all, it was common knowledge that her store only carried unique and quite expensive trinkets. Draco, however, was not an idiot. A mere hours after taking Hermione to St. Mungo's, he had rushed to Gringotts and moved an incredibly hefty sum of money from the Malfoy vaults into one of his own. He smirked, thinking of how outraged his father would be when he found out._

"_I doubt I can help you here, boy." The snooty lady stated, a cold tone to her voice. "I am sure you have heard of my reputation"_

"_I can assure you I have, and there will be no problems." Draco smirked his trademark smirk, dropping a small sack of galleons onto the counter._

_Her eyes widened, before she straightened her posture. "My apologies, sir. What is it that you are looking for?"_

"_I want a beautiful engagement ring for a rather special girl. It must be intricate and elegant; the very best."_

_The pompous woman had clapped her hands together with excitement. "Oh what a lucky lady! Of course, of course!" She stated, running off with a silly little giggle._

_A few minutes later, she returned from the back of the store with three small boxes. Madame Azalea opened one in front of him, revealing the most beautiful ring he had seen; it was unique with intricately-designed markings and he was sure it would suite Hermione perfectly. "I'll take it." He stated, sure of his choice._

"_Before you do, there is something I want to show you – I am sure you will appreciate this." She opened the other two boxes, revealing two golden wedding bands with the same engravings. "These, my boy, are a set. They are from medieval times, purported to have belonged to some of the most powerful Wizarding couples. When worn, they serve as a connection between the couple. If one is in need danger or in need, the other's ring will heat as a call for help."_

_Draco didn't hesitate; given the situation that he and Hermione were in, these would be of great use. He left the store, with the three boxes in his pocket._

_[End Flashback]_

Taking a deep breath in a vain attempt to calm his nerves, he made his way to the beautiful gardens in which the ceremony was to be held. It was a small affair; attended by only their Heads of House, Dumbledore and the two Deputy Head Prefects. He couldn't hide his awe; a small aisle had been formed with multiple rose petals of varying colours leading to a simple white arch, delicately laced with wildflowers and Fawkes perched on top. Dumbledore was already underneath the arch, staring out over the lake. Four simple white chairs were placed near the arch, two on either side of the aisle. Sighing heavily, he knew that this was probably not the wedding that Hermione had dreamed about; it most definitely wasn't the wedding that she deserved. At least the old man had managed to make the place look breathtaking.

"Ah, Draco. Beautiful day, isn't it?" Dumbledore turned around, a sparkle in his eyes, as Draco approached.

Draco didn't reply, making his way to beside the Headmaster. He wasn't a fan of small talk. His hands in his pockets, he watched the wind playing along the surface of the lake. "I'm proud of you, Draco." He couldn't help the surprise that came over him, turning to the old man with wide eyes; he had never been told that before.

Dumbledore chuckled, laying a solemn hand on the young man's shoulder. "What you did, rebelling against Voldemort, was extremely courageous on your part. And what you are doing now…well, your contribution to the war will be fundamental to our victory." For once, Draco didn't feel the urge to roll his eyes at Dumbledore's vagueness; his words meant a lot to him.

He smiled at Anthony who was making his way to the seats. The boy, who he had come to see as a friend, grinned back and gave him a thumbs up. He saw the two professors making their way down, as well, in silence. He nodded at Snape, who returned the gesture. They had spent time together over the past two weeks, speaking at length of Snape's work for the Order. The man had given him invaluable advice and for that, Draco would be forever grateful. McGonagall sat down, tears glistening in her eyes – though she had a somewhat severe demeanour, he had found that she was a sensitive, caring woman.

Draco glanced at his watch, astonished that so much time had already passed. In a couple of minutes, Hermione was due to arrive. A smile adorned his face as he saw Sabrina raced from the castle, looking rather flustered. "Sorry!" She blurted out before throwing herself into the seat beside Anthony.

And then he saw her; his vision. Her hair was set in a messy bun at the crown of her head with a few tendrils loose, framing her delicate face. Her eyes were lined with kohl, her cheekbones accentuated with light peach blush and her lips tinted a light nude colour. Her dress had a lace pattern, hugging her curvaceous figure before gently flaring from the middle of her thighs, swaying with her every movement. The back of the dress was held together by crisscrossing straps. She was exceptionally breathtaking. His heart lurched as he saw the tears glistening in her eyes. His breath hitched; he was actually marrying this gorgeous woman.

Now all he was waiting for was when that old man was to say 'You may now kiss the bride'.

Her eyes fixated on her left hand, Hermione took a deep breath in. She was officially Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Her husband…gosh that sounded weird…her husband had explained to her the properties of their wedding bands. She had been completely overwhelmed as her mind tried to understand the complexity of the magic that must have been required to make the rings. It was absolutely brilliant; she was only slightly miffed that she hadn't even considered such magic to be possible.

Of course, all of her intrigue had disappeared the moment his lips crashed into hers. She had barely even heard the Headmaster saying the words when it had happened. He had kissed her with such fervor and hunger that she had nearly forgotten that three of her professors were watching them – it was positively mortifying. She had to admit that she wasn't all that surprised that she had such a physical connection with Draco. After all, they had always been a rather passionate pair; more so in animosity than lust. Combined with the hastening of their relationship that came with being a Golden Disciple, it really was no shock that she had such an intense attraction to him.

As much as she wanted to deny it, she was incredibly nervous about tonight. From what she had read about the Golden Disciples, it was vital that they consummate their marriage. And she was downright terrified. She had been kissed a few times, but that was as far as her experience went.

Given Draco's reputation as Slytherin's most eligible bachelor, she was sure that he was much more learned in this particular aspect of life. Hermione was sure that she was going to be horrifically inept at their night's activities.

She stiffened as Draco moved into the room, loosening his tie. He perched himself on the bed beside her, flashing her a timid smile. She was not expecting that.

"So…Hermione…" A faint blush came to his cheeks as he trailed off, unsure of what to say. It was inexplicably comforting to her to know that she wasn't the only one who was nervous.

"Yes. About that…" She said, trying to resort to her usual matter-of-fact manner of speaking. Taking a deep breath, she gave into nervous babbling. "I've never done it before. And I know that you're probably some debonair, I mean we've all heard the rumours, but I'm not experienced…at all. In fact I've only ever been kissed before and I just know that I'm going to let you down…you know, comparatively."

Draco couldn't hold back his chuckle – he found her rambling to be endearing. "Hermione…as cute as you are right now, stop talking. I want you to know – I haven't either." Her eyes shot up to him, questioningly.

Grasping her hand in her lap, he smiled gently at her before shrugging. "Pureblood tradition. Sex before marriage is considered to bring shame on the family name; saving yourself is a way of upholding your family's honour and nobility." He felt her relax beside him, a great deal of her apprehension overcome with vulnerability and virtue.

Before he could think about it, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. He was pleased to find her respond with the same fervour that was coursing through him. She gently moved her hands up his chest; one gently caressing his cheek and the other tangling itself in his hair. He gently lowered her onto the bed, his heart pounding as her hands roamed his body.

She let out a soft moan as he moved his lips down to her neck. She was intoxicating. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, and saw her eyes reflecting the hunger and yearning that he felt. And that was all that the permission he needed.

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**A/N: I'm horrendous at writing 'passionate' scenes so I'll just leave it there and you all can let your imagination run wild. Please review!**


	8. Chapter VII

**Disclaimer: unfortunately, I am not JK Rowling and HP is not mine**

**A/N: Thank you to the awesome LadiePhoenix007, thatharrypottergeekychick16 and Grovek26 for their reviews.**

**To be honest, I'm not feeling overly motivated to continue. I do love writing but its frustrating when I'm super busy and I put time aside to write and don't get much feedback whatsoever. I really don't want to be one of those authors that begs for reviews but I'm just not sure if it is worth continuing! I'm trying to keep a couple of chapters ahead so that I won't fall back when exams come around but then again, I'm not sure if its worth pursuing. Please let me know what you think?**

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**Chapter VII**

**Present Day**

**Potter Residence**

Harry breathed a great sigh of relief when the memory ended – thankfully Hermione had been smart enough to make sure they didn't see the pair consummate their marriage. He looked to his right and saw his brother-in-law looking like he was going to regurgitate his breakfast.

Ginny had a rather amused look on her face. "Well that's a shame. Apparently we're not going to see any of the fun parts." She said with a wink, before leaving the room to get ready for the day ahead of her.

"Oh Merlin I think I'm going to vomit!" Ron exclaimed, scowling after his sister. Harry couldn't help but chuckle at how little the two had matured when it came to their sibling banter. Their strong relationship had always made him somewhat jealous that he was an only child; but the Weasley clan had pulled him in like one of their own and in a way he now had enough siblings to last a lifetime.

Shaking his head, the friends chatted lightly as they waited for Ginny to get ready. Harry had written to Hermione and had organised for the Weasley siblings to visit their dear friend. A half hour later, Ron was incredibly impatient. "Ginny! What are you doing up there? Get your arse down here!"

He raised his eyebrows as his sister came rushing down the stairs looking very well dressed in a pair of black slacks and her favourite blouse. She had applied a light layer of makeup to her face and her hair was styled in an elegant updo. "Going to a pageant, are we?" Ron commented, sarcastically.

Harry snickered as Ginny smacked her brother on the back of the head. "Oh shut up, you oaf. I haven't seen my best friend in years, and I'm going to make sure I look perfect."

"So another hour then?" Ron muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his head. Needless to say, he was promptly smacked again.

**Malfoy Ranch**

Hermione was anxiously pacing in the foyer of their sprawling home. She was a nervous wreck and her husband's futile attempts at calming her had failed miserably. He had given up a long time ago and was now feeding his children in the kitchen. He paused as he heard a knock at the door and then continued on; he would give Hermione some time with her friends before greeting their guests.

Within seconds, Hermione had thrown the door open. All she saw was a flash of red before being encased in a familiar pair of arms. "Ginny!" She exclaimed, crying at the joy of having her closest friend by her side. "Oh I am so sorry! I'm so sorry!" She murmured as the petite redhead sobbed in her arms.

Pulling back, she turned to her long-time friend. "Ron." She whispered as he pulled her into his arms. They had long gotten over their crushes on each other, becoming nothing but close friends in their sixth year. He was like her brother, always being fiercely protective of her.

"Draco! Oh you gave us such a fright!" She was startled from the embrace as Ginny rushed towards the blonde man who was leaning against the doorway to the kitchen. Hermione had to stifle a giggle at the bewildered expression on Draco's face as Ginny charged into him. As Draco was released from the tight embrace, she linked arms with her dear friend and lead her into the kitchen.

Ron was still standing awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of how to proceed. 'Trust Weasley to leave it up to me', Draco thought, extending his hand as he approached the man. "Welcome Weasley." He stated before directing him into the kitchen where the overly excited women were.

Ginny had squealed in delight at the sight of the three children, taking time to hug each one of them. Jackson and Emmeline had been thoroughly confused as to who this woman was but Liam, who had made quite a mess of himself, had gurgled happily and began poking at her face.

The redheaded woman didn't seem to mind the bits of apple baby food that were now down the front of her blouse and had goo-goo-gaa-gaa-ed at the young child. Ron had quickly moved the boy away from her, worried about the remnants of his sister's sanity before he too was taken by the adorable nature of the child.

"Kids, these people are two of Mummy's closest friends from home. This is Aunt Ginny and Uncle Ron." Hermione explained, before introducing her children to her childhood friends. The twins quickly warmed up to the motherly woman who was now seated between them, babbling on about their toys and playdates.

Ron smiled bashfully at the couple in front of him. "As much as I hate to admit it, you two have a beautiful family. This boy is adorable!" He joked, an expression of distaste gracing his smile. But to both Hermione and Draco, it meant the world.

**September 1997**

They moved in comfortable silence, packing their belongings into the small trunks they had brought along with them. The newlyweds had spent the last four days in a quaint cottage in rural England, enjoying each other's company. The information Hermione had found on the Golden Disciples had been true.

They had spent their wedding night consumed in passion and pure carnal ecstasy. Draco had been so gentle and yet ravenous as they made love for the first time. He had ravished her with such fervour that she thought she would never recover from the high she was feeling. But at the same time he had held her with such adoring tenderness, as if he were sure she would crumble under his touch. It had been more than she could have ever imagined happening to her; and yet it had, time after time. In those moments, the passion and hunger in his eyes had made her feel exquisitely beautiful and sensual at the same time. And since that night, their emotional bond had grown ever stronger. It was as if they were being truly united as one, both in the flesh and in the mind.

"Ready, my dear?" Draco was walking towards her, slowly puling on a shirt. She felt a growing lump in her throat as her eyes roamed over his muscular frame. She felt like a giggling schoolgirl, much like the ones that had always irritated her. Draco smirked as he noticed her lustful eyes and the deep blush that rose to her cheeks.

"It's time to get back to school." He reminded her, dipping his head to kiss her. She nodded at him, trying to shake the inappropriate thoughts from her head. After shrinking their luggage and tucking them safely in her pocket, she grasped his hand and waited for the familiar tug of the Portkey.

Hermione had always hated travelling by Portkey – though it wasn't as bad as the first time she had travelled by this method, a nauseating feeling was rising through the pits of her stomach. She opened her eyes and welcomed the familiarity of the Hogwarts' entrance. Dumbledore was standing in front of them with a wide smile.

"I trust you enjoyed your time away, Mr and Mrs Malfoy." He said, that ever present sparkle in his eyes. Draco smirked as a deep blush rose through his wife's cheeks. "I wanted to let you both know that I have managed to acquire a collection of Merlin's diaries. I shall pore through them and hopefully be able to give you both more information. Now, you'd better get settled in. The rest of the students will be arriving tomorrow afternoon."

The couple made their way up to their commons as Draco lightly teased her for her embarrassment. As they entered the room, they were pulled out of their banter as a blonde blur engulfed them in a rather smothering embrace.

"You guys are back! How was your honeymoon?" Sabrina squealed, stepping back from the couple.

Draco couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face, earning a knowing thumbs up from the dark haired Deputy Head Boy that was seated on the couch. And again, Hermione couldn't prevent that ridiculously persistent blush from overcoming her.

"It was wonderful." She answered, eliciting an excited squeal from her new friend.

With wide eyes and a knowing wink, Sabrina dragged the poor Head Girl away to seclusion demanding to know 'every single detail'.

Hermione had barely eaten anything that morning. The four Head students were the only ones in the Great Hall that morning. Anthony and Sabrina had watched with amusement as Draco somehow managed to scoff down an unbelievably large amount of food. Hermione, on the other hand, had barely managed a few bites of a piece of toast. The rest of the students would be arriving last that afternoon – including Harry, Ron and Ginny. She had barely seen them after the death of her parents and now she was married, for Merlin's sake!

She wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to act around them. She loved them of course, they were her dear friends after all, but so much had changed since their last year at Hogwarts – she wasn't quite sure how to reconcile the two parts of her life.

The train was due to arrive any moment and Hermione simply could not suppress the churning in her stomach. She glanced over at Draco and shot him a nervous smile, warmth spreading inside of her as he sent her a coy wink. He was leaning against the other side of the arch, his arms crossed over his chest. They had decided that it would be best for their secrecy if they acted civilly with each other but of course, not too close.

Hermione felt her breath hitch as she heard the train arrive and a swarm of students were soon spilling out of the carriages. She smiled warmly at the familiar faces that flocked past her, light carefree chatter filing the air.

"Hermione!" She heard her name being called, before a red bundle of energy crashed into her. "Merlin, I've missed you!" She chuckled as the vivacious redheaded girl crushed her with a fierce hug.

"I missed you too, Gin." She laughed, unwrapping herself from the restricting embrace. "I do need to breathe, you know." She admonished the girl, her amusement sparkling in her eyes.

"Mione! How have you been?" She smiled as Harry welcomed her with a quick hug, his eyes looking over her with concern. His brotherly worry made her smile widen; she had sorely missed her friends, the security of their familiarity flooding back to her.

"I've been good, Harry. How are you?" He eyes her suspiciously, before a grin broke out on his smile.

"Worried. But I'm a lot better now." He said, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek.

Hermione noticed quite gleefully that Draco was watching them, scowling with each show of affection. He was eyeing the quartet of friends with jealousy. His envy and protective glances made her feel secure, and somewhat enlivened.

"Oh Mione – there you are! Why didn't you write to us? I was so worried about you!" Ron rambled, crushed her in an awkward hug.

Draco couldn't suppress the angry growl that erupted from his throat as Ron held his wife. It was a well-known fact that Ron had a large crush on Hermione. It didn't help that Hermione had revealed to him in one of their talks in the Hogwarts grounds that she too had shared that affection for him during their fifth year. She had assured him that this had well and truly passed, but he couldn't help the intense possessiveness that spread through him.

Hermione pulled away quickly. "Sorry…I was extremely busy; so much has happened lately that I just needed to process it all."

Ginny sighed dramatically before leaning in to whisper. "How have things been with Malfoy…you know, since then…? We all know he's deliciously handsome." She mischievously murmured, throwing her friend a wink.

Ignoring Ron's outraged protests, Hermione couldn't help but laugh at her friend's intuition. "Oh, we've had a fabulous time." She answered, earning a roar of laughter in response. "But in all seriousness, it has been quite good. I mean, he saved me; we've been quite civil."

Ginny linked arms with the Head Girl, joy emanating from her being. "We have a great deal to catch up about, missy! See you later boys!" She said, leaving Harry and Ron standing in the same spot staring suspiciously at the Head Boy.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy! You bloody idiot! Why have we barely heard from you these holidays?"

Draco winced at the anger on the face of the girl that was one of his closest friends. Many saw Pansy Parkinson as a frustrating woman who was infatuated with Draco but her insufferable crush on him had long passed and she had returned to the girl that had been like a sister to him since they were young children. Blaise Zabini, his closest friend, was standing with his arm around the dark-haired girl, watching Draco with an odd mixture of concern and ire. "Hey Pans." He muttered, weakly smiling at her.

"Oh don't you dare 'Hey Pans' me! We were worried sick about you and then your mother told me you had disappeared from the manor! I mean really! Lucius is still in absolute rage over Merlin knows what. You could have been dead!"

Draco felt regret washing over him. He had known he was risking a lot by betraying his father and rescuing Hermione, but he had never considered the impact it would have on those outside his family. His stomach dropped at the tears glistening in his close friend's eyes.

"Oh guys, I'm sorry." He mumbled, pulling the girl into a reassuring embrace. "I just…had a bit of a disagreement with Lucius."

Both Pansy and Blaise scoffed as she pulled away from him, raising a pristinely groomed eyebrow at him. Blaise crossed his arms in front of him disbelievingly. "Disagreement? Even I know that's putting it lightly. He was furious when I dropped by the manor to see you. This was different to your other disagreements. What happened, Draco?"

He wasn't quite sure of how to put it, pulling them aside to allow some privacy. "You'd better not utter a word of this to anyone." He warned them, earning fervent nods in response. "A group of Death Eaters kidnapped and tortured Hermione Granger after killing her parents. My dearest father is a tad upset with me seeing as I rescued her and took her to St Mungo's. Needless to say, I've been staying here since then."

Pansy and Blaise gaped at him blankly before the somewhat overly-emotional girl burst into tears and hugged him again. Blaise spluttered with shock. "Are they crazy? The whole freaking Wizarding world loves that girl – surely they didn't think they would get away with it!"

It was no secret that Blaise and his mother were not followers of Voldemort. Ms Zabini had always passively sat on the sidelines, unwilling to get involved in the politics of Voldemort and pureblooded nonsense. And though Blaise would never verbally admit it, he thought the whole thing was a waste of time.

Draco merely shrugged in response, unable to pry himself away from the still sobbing girl. Blaire sighed and patted him on the back before extracting his girlfriend off of the blonde boy. "Either way, I'm proud of you mate."

Hermione had to stifle a laugh as she watched the two Weasleys consume a rather unimaginable amount of food. It was a long-running joke amongst the Gryffindors that the whole Weasley clan had an uncanny knack for consuming an ungodly food in a somewhat less-than-graceful manner.

Dumbledore had given a rather touching speech after the new students had been sorted, emphasising the importance of unity and friendship in the dark days that were to come. He had spoken of overcoming rivalry with determination, love and courage, what she thought was a rather obvious reference to Draco and herself. His words were resonating in her mind and she had most definitely noticed the meaningful glance Draco had sent her way.

She only hoped that Harry wouldn't let the stress of this year overwhelm him. He had always let himself be engulfed in the responsibility he felt towards defeated Voldemort and this year would be no different, especially as he was unaware of the help he would have in Draco and her. Her gaze fell on Ginny. She had wished she could just smack Harry on the back of his head and tell him to man up. He had avoided acknowledging his strong feelings for the Weasley girl, worried that a relationship would place her in danger. She understood where he was coming from but it was rather ridiculous – denying his feelings wasn't going to deter Ginny from getting involved in the Order of the Phoenix.

And finally, her gaze fell upon Ron. She had once yearned for his affection but had soon realised that her feelings for him were nothing but a close friendship. She could only hold out for him to realise that as well.

"Don't look now Mione but Malfoy is staring at you." Hermione's head shot up, wincing as the sudden movement caused a pang of pain to shoot up her neck. Draco was indeed staring straight at her. He flashed one of his heart-stopping smiles at her before turning back to Blaise who was giving him an avid account of his holiday in France with Pansy.

"Merlin, he's dreamy!" The redheaded girl exclaimed, dramatically fanning herself with her hand, earning a burst of giggles from some of the other Gryffindor girls. "You two would be bloody gorgeous together! I swear I can just see it written in the stars!"

Hermione hid a knowing smile, turning her attention back to the plate of food in front of her. 'If only she knew how true that was.' She thought wryly as Ron interrupted their conversation.

"What's written in the stars?" He cut in, earning a scowl from his sister. Hermione opened her mouth to answer him but Ginny beat her to it.

"It's none of your business, Ronald. But if you must know I was telling Hermione that she and one very good-looking boy are destined in the stars." She ended, poking her tongue at him. Harry couldn't help but sigh; the redheaded girl was always trying to get a rise out of her brother, and he was the one who always had to deal with it afterwards.

"What? Do you have a boyfriend? Who is it?" He asked, earning a scowl of annoyance from Hermione.

"Honestly, Ron, I don't have a boyfriend." She replied. Technically she was telling the truth – Draco wasn't quite her boyfriend after all, was he.

"Ugh, I can't believe my fool of a brother actually thinks he had a chance with you. I mean, you're bloody brilliant and absolutely gorgeous…and he's…well he's Ron!" She murmured to her, earning a soft chuckle from the Head Girl.

Hermione was attempting to finish the contents of her desert bowl when a familiar, smooth voice came from behind her. "Hermione, Professor Dumbledore wants us in his office. He wants to discuss something to do with…our situation…as Head of course." He added hastily, not wanting to cause a fight that would upset Hermione.

She flashed him a smile and nodded. "Sure, just let me finish my desert."

Draco grinned slyly, unable to let the opportunity to annoy the rest of the Gryffindor Musketeers pass. "Well, how about I help you there, miss?"

Hermione looked up with surprise as her bowl was pulled from her hands. "Draco, I dema-" She was suddenly cut off as Draco pushed a spoon into her mouth.

Ron slammed his fists onto the table and stood up angrily, drawing the attention from the occupants of the Great Hall. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Malfoy?" He demanded, spitting out the name as if it were a disease.

Draco cocked his head to the side mockingly. "Hmmm…let me see. I'm helping Hermione here finish off her food, seeing as she takes the smallest bites I have ever seen." He stated as if it were quite normal for him to be feeding the Head Girl before jerking his head to where McGonagall was somewhat impatiently waiting for them. "Come on, we don't want to keep McGonagall waiting."

Hermione nodded in agreement, scowling at her damned husband before following him to the Head of Gryffindor. He really couldn't help but be a bloody prat at times.

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**A/N: ****Please review!**


	9. Chapter VIII

**Disclaimer: unfortunately, none of this stuff is mine!**

**A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed! Those few extra reviews made my day – and I'll most definitely do my best to keep writing. And I'm so happy that you all liked the last chapter.**

**LadiePhoenix007 – I'm glad you liked the sibling banter! I'm planning a chapter where there's a reunion with the Weasley bunch in the future – hopefully it'll be full of family goodness.**

**thatharrypottergeekychick16 – Don't worry, there'll definitely be some Draco vs. Ron moments.**

**Grovek26 – I actually laughed at the way you described Draco 'peeing round Hermione'. It's exactly what I was going for! And I'm glad you like the way I've written present-day Ginny – I've always imagined her as a ball of energy.**

**Thank you also to LadyBug5859, Kermit 304, dutch potterfan and smileyk.**

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**Chapter VIII**

Professor McGonagall was desperately trying to hide her smile as she overheard Hermione chastising Draco for upsetting her friends. The pair were getting on fabulously much to her surprise but then again, Dumbledore had told her to expect it – she should have known better than to doubt him. Coming to a stop in front of the large gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office, she muttered the password with mild embarrassment. "Curly-wurly".

Draco and Hermione made their way up the spiral staircase behind the poised professor and into the expansive circular office. The Headmaster was seated behind his desk, waiting somewhat patiently for their arrival, quietly chatting with Snape. He welcomed them into the room, his face echoing the seriousness of the conversation to come.

"Good evening Mr and Mrs Malfoy. I know that you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow with the commencement of classes, but there is something of the utmost importance we must talk about. I am sure that, since your wedding, the pair of you have experienced the heightening of your emotional connection." Draco sat silently, paying strict attention to the older man, whilst Hermione nodded fervently in response.

"I regret having to burden you both yet again but it is of the utmost importance that you begin to master your physical powers and using your connection to enhance your skills for combat. I know you will both be busy with your school work and duties as Head Boy and Girl but Professors Snape and McGonagall will hold weekly sessions with you both in order to train. You will focus on Occlumency, performing wandless magic, harnessing your ability to fight as partners and trying to tap into the powers that come as the Golden Disciples. Any questions?"

The first week of the school term flew by as the students of Hogwarts readjusted themselves to their work. Hermione and Draco found themselves spending less time together, trying to juggle their conflicting class schedules, responsibilities as school leaders and simply catching up with their friends. Whenever they had been able to steal a moment together, they were interrupted by something that needed to be done or someone seeking them out.

And oddly enough, it was beginning to make them ache. Not ache in the way that lovesick teenagers ache for their lovers but a deep, raw ache in the pits of their stomachs. It felt as if their organs had been battered and bruised and only just beginning to heal. It wasn't an ache of want but of need.

The pair had been awfully puzzled by it, but the moment they were together, any remnants of the pain ebbed away and they were filled with an overwhelming sense of peace.

Even now as Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, that bloody niggling discomfort was simmering inside of her. Her fork was lazily clasping in her hand as she stabbed aimlessly at her plate. Both she and Draco had passed the last few meals in this way, their aching stomachs rebuking the taste of food. She stole a glance across the hall, a feeling of warmth bubbling through her body as his steel grey eyes met hers.

"Everything okay, Mione?" Harry was studying her with concerned eyes. It had not gone unnoticed that Hermione had barely eaten in the past few days and had become increasingly sullen.

She flashed him a reassuring smile. "Of course, Harry. I think I'm just a little overwhelmed right now."

Harry nodded sympathetically. Hermione had been adamantly avoiding the topic of her parents' deaths; he had noticed the uncharacteristic storm behind her eyes and for once, he understood the torment she was feeling. It was something that Ron and Ginny would never understand; their parents were alive and well and with the horde of siblings they had, they would never be truly alone. But he and Hermione, well they were orphans…with no true family.

He was shaken out of his thoughts as a hush fell over the vast room. Dumbledore had risen from his seat and was patiently waiting for the students' attention.

"I hope you have all enjoyed a delicious dinner as I have." He began, his infamous smile adorning his face. "Our delightful Deputy Head Boy and Girl came to me with a rather fantastic idea. There will be a Commencement Ball to embrace the start of a new year. Unfortunately for our younger students, the ball will be for those in fifth year and above as per school regulations. There shall be more details to come!"

The hall exploded into excited roars and uninhibited whispers. "Oh my gosh, Mione! This is so exciting!" Ginny was clutching at her arm, a deep blush erupting through her cheeks as her eyes met Harry's.

Hermione couldn't help but grin at the girl's enthusiasm; Ginny had always had an infectiously cheerful personality. And it would be wonderful to have something carefree to look forward to, especially with all the pressure that was on Draco and her this year.

Draco.

She glanced back over to the table underneath the green and silver banner and was rewarded with a subtle wink that sent butterflies coursing through her body. Would she even be able to go with him? Merlin, she needed to talk to Sabrina.

Anthony and Sabrina were pretty damn pleased with themselves. The past few weeks had been tremendously trying on the newlywed couple with an abundance of challenges and tasks. The pair really did deserve a light-hearted evening and of course, they were going to ensure that the couple would attend together. Dumbledore had wholeheartedly agreed that the Head students would be 'obliged' to attend together in the spirit of school unity and inter-house harmony, and that he would eagerly support them if anyone questioned it.

It was set to be on the Saturday evening in exactly two weeks and it was going to be a magical evening. Having been granted access to Hogsmeade for the weekend, Sabrina and Ginny had dragged Hermione along with them to prepare for the upcoming ball.

Entering Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, they were pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't quite as crowded as they had expected, having managed to avoid the rush of students earlier that morning. They could only hope that there would still be some decent robes for them to browse.

Hermione couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips, earning scowls of annoyance from her companions. It was well known that Hermione wasn't your typically feminine girl and had never been one to get excited about shopping and such frivolous things. If anything, the past few weeks had only worsened this; she had far more important things to worry about than ensuring she had the most fashionable outfit for the ball.

"Oh, come on. Try to enjoy this for me?" Ginny pleaded, sending Hermione her most pleading look. The Weasley clan had always managed to get their way with a simple flash of their baby blue eyes.

The brunette girl sighed again, this time giving her friend a slight smile. "Oh alright. I suppose I can do that."

Ginny squealed excitedly, embracing Hermione in a quick hug before rushing over to where Sabrina was already engrossed in a rack of robes. Hermione found herself rather amused watching at the girls pored over the racks, their emotions ranging from delight to disgust and back again in mere seconds. Though she had never been one to spend her day in a store, she had to admit that it was fairly relaxing.

She strolled down the aisles, letting her fingers graze the soft fabric as she passed. Despite her trepidation, this would be the first year she would be attending a ball with someone she truly had feelings for, whatever those emotions may be. She honestly did want to look her best, but she wasn't quite sure that she was the right person to do so.

"What do you think?" She spun around and felt herself gasp as her eyes landed on her dear friend.

Ginny was standing in front of her in a deep blue strapless dress that clung to her shapely figure and pooled at her feet. The bustier had subtle gold embroidery that seemed to ignite a spark in her turquoise eyes. The girl had released her hair from the elastic that restrained it and her waved locks cascaded down her back.

Hermione felt ashamed as a pang of jealousy shot through her. Her friend had always been rather beautiful and puberty had allowed her to grow into a stunning woman. She was so slim and yet had curves in all the right places and seemed to always have an abundance of boys chasing her.

She swallowed her fleeting envy and smiled widely at her friend. "Merlin, Gin. You look positively gorgeous! You have to get it." She exclaimed, causing the redheaded girl to squeal with excitement as she turned back into the changing room.

"Hermione Granger. Please tell me you've found at least one dress that you like."

She turned around in time to see the exasperated expression on her new friend's face and had the decency to smile sheepishly at her. "Sorry. I'm hopeless at this!"

"Here. Try these." The Hufflepuff girl demanded, dumping a ridiculous amount of dressed into her arms, before pushing her into a change room.

What had to be at least a half hour later, Hermione was still trying on different outfits and was beginning to become rather disappointed in herself. Clearly she just wasn't as pretty at her two friends were.

Sabrina had managed to find a dress that was equally as stunning at Ginny's. The sleek maroon dress had capped sleeves and a rather low-cut front, clinging to her body until it reached her waist from where the fabric cascaded to the ground. It was so simple and yet the hazel-eyed girl looked like an eye-catching siren in it.

Feeling defeated, Hermione groaned as another bundle of dresses were tossed over the fitting room door. "Can we just give up already?" She asked, hopefully.

She was answered with a stern refusal. Selecting one of the new dresses, Hermione struggled into the dress, patting the fabric against her body. She begrudgingly opened the door again and was met by a pair of gasps.

"That's the one."

Ronald Weasley was pacing up and down the Gryffindor common room whilst Harry watched him with amusement. Ever since the announcement at dinner the other day, he had been a bumbling ball of nerves. Despite what Hermione believed, she had caught the eye of a handful of boys at Hogwarts, and he would be damned if he let one of them ask her before he did. After all, he was Ronald Bilius Weasley and she was Hermione Jean Granger – they were _supposed_ to end up together.

He had been endlessly practicing his short speech to Hermione for the past hour, much to the dismay of a certain Lavender Brown. Ever since their 'fling' in their sixth year, she had begun to develop strong feelings for the boy who was quite oblivious to them.

"Hey Hermione. I know that we've been best friends for a while now, but it's not enough for me anymore." He recited. "I really like you, as more than friends, I have for a while now. And I was just wondering if you would do me the pleasure of being my date to the ball?" Much to his unawareness, Lavender stormed past him in a fit of fury.

He gulped visibly as the portrait swung open and Hermione and Ginny entered the Gryffindor common room. They were chatting about something or rather, probably some silly girly nonsense, and erupted in a fit of giggles, their arms overloaded with bags.

"Oh hey Ron, Harry!" His beloved crush exclaimed as she noticed them in the room. Her eyes were mixed with delight and exhaustion. "We've been in Hogsmeade all day shopping for the ball!" She explained, indicating towards the bags that were now pooled at their feet.

Ron felt his heart leap when she mentioned the ball – surely she was telling him that in the hopes that he would ask her, right? A wave of confidence ebbed over him as he moved to sit beside her and encased her hand within his.

Hermione's eyes widened, a surprised gasp escaping her lips. Ron felt his confidence grow further in the second before he opened his mouth and delivered his well-practiced spiel.

The brunette girl gulped visibly, quickly withdrawing her hand from his. Out of the corner of her eyes, Hermione saw Ginny shift awkwardly in her seat as she muttered a quite 'crap' under her breath.

"Oh…um…I…I'm sorry Ron. I'm already, uh…Dumbledore has asked Draco and I to go together for House Unity. . She whispered, averting her eyes from his shocked gaze as she continued on before she lost her confidence. "But…but I'm not just saying no because of that. I don't see you like that anymore. I'm sorry."

Her eyes seemed to bulge as Ron jumped up from the couch, his face flushing with anger. "Malfoy?! MALFOY?! You're going to go to the bloody ball with Malfoy instead of me?!" He exclaimed, his voice reaching a rather shrill tone as he attracted the attention of the rest of the occupants in the room.

"Ron, you're being unfair."

"Unfair?! You've got to be bloody joking, right? Unfair is me loving you for as long as I can remember and you rejecting me for freaking Malfoy!" He continued, knocking over a nearby vase with his wild hand gestures. The other three winced as the vase shattered.

Hermione grimaced as she stood up and tilted her head to meet his livid stare. "Ronald, this has nothing to do with Malfoy. I see you as a brother; I wouldn't have agreed to go with you even if I weren't going with Draco. It wouldn't be fair to lead you on like that." She was deeply hoping that her words would serve to somewhat sate him.

"A brother?! How am I a brother to you? I _know_ you liked me last year – what the hell happened since then?" He ranted, leaning over her short stature in an attempt to intimidate her

Hermione shifted nervously under his gaze. "Ron…it's not something I can explain. I just don't see you like that anymore. I…I'm sorry." Harry and Ginny shared a nervous glance at the incredibly awkward situation grew.

Ron crossed him arms over his chest and eyed her suspiciously. "Is there someone else?" He questioned, his voice dropping to a dangerously low level. Hermione couldn't help but avert her gaze as she struggled to find the right words. Of course there was someone else – she was bloody _married_ for Merlin's sake – but she couldn't really explain that to him, could she?

He let out an outraged snarl, narrowing his eyes at her. "Well, that's all the answer I needed."

Hermione felt her heart drop as Ron stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Ginny grimaced as the girl sunk back into the couch beside her and wrapped an arm around her. Harry winced as he stood up from his seat. "I'll calm him down."

Draco was sauntering down the corridor, rolling his eyes at the spectacle he had just witnessed. Blaise Zabini was renowned for his overly-flamboyant mannerisms and so, of course he had asked his dear girlfriend to the ball in what could only be described as a performance. And though Pansy Parkinson wasn't quite the frivolous girl that she used to be, she had been enthralled at the show he had delivered.

Despite it all, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. Hermione deserved a fanfare; and even if he did give her one, there would be no one to see it or show off to! He would make it up either way. Though it was yet to be announced, the students would be given the day to go to a special 'destination of choice' and he would make sure that he would give her a day to remember.

"Hannah! You'll never guess what just happened in the Gryffindor common room!" His curiosity piqued, Draco threw himself into a small alcove as two girls passed by.

"Ron Weasley asked Hermione to the ball and she said no!"

"Seriously?" He heard the second girl reply.

"Yeah! She said something about not feeling the same way and that she is going with Malfoy!" The first girl exclaimed, her voice squeaking with the excitement of delicious gossip.

"Malfoy? As in _Draco_ Malfoy?!"

"Yes! _THE_ Draco Malfoy!"

"Then what happened?!" The second girl squealed, her eyes sparking with curiosity.

"He completely lost it! Blew his lid and stormed out!"

Draco stopped following them at that moment; he had heard more than enough. A wide grin spreading across his face, he continued his slow stroll back to the Heads Commons. Today was a good day.

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**A/N: So I just realised that my page breaks to indicate a change of scenery haven't been working! So annoyed! I'll try to make sure they come up from now on. Please r****ead and review!**


	10. Chapter IX

**Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling.**

**A/N: Thank you to thatharrpottergeekychick16, K-435, dutch potterfan, Grovek26 and LadiePhoenix007 for your reviews! Thanks also to the guest reviewer!**

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**Chapter IX**

"Welcome Mr and Mrs Malfoy." Severus Snape stood from his seat behind his desk as he gestured for the young couple to sit in the two armchairs across from his office desk.

"Occlumency and Leglimency are two vital skills that the pair of you must master in order to fulfil your destiny. You will be faced with numerous challenges and we are sure that you will find yourselves in difficult situations. Do not underestimate the value of such abilities." He explained, leaning against his desk with his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Do you understand?"

Hermione leant forward with eagerness. "Professor, there are two levels of Occlumency, right? Shutting someone out of your thoughts and actually fabricating events for the Leglimens to see."

Draco couldn't prevent the familiar scoff from escaping his lips, earning a deep glare from his wife. "We're not in class, Mrs Malfoy." Snape drawled, raising an eyebrow at the girl. Though he would most definitely never admit it, he had always been impressed with her intelligence and appreciated her enthusiasm to her studies.

Hermione had the decency to blush at his words, throwing another frown at her blonde companion as he snickered again.

"As you said, there are two levels. Only those who are truly skilled in Occlumens are able to produce false thoughts. We will begin with the skill of voiding your mind of all thoughts, which will take multiple sessions for you to master. We'll start with you, Mr Malfoy."

Hermione struggled to empty her mind of her emotions and thoughts, a weak groan escaping her lips. Her body was quivering as she tried in vain from allowing Snape to enter her mind. The idea of him seeing and experiencing her personal thoughts revolted her.

But no matter how hard she tried, she could feel him infiltrating her mind. Her body shuddered, though she couldn't quite determine if it was due to exhaustion or her aversion to his presence within her spirit.

They hadn't left the office for a few hours. Taking it in turns, Snape had invaded their souls time and time again as they purposely tried to resist him. Covered in perspiration, they had long discarded their school robes in attempt to alleviate the humidity in the room.

As desperately exhausted as she was, she was determined to succeed. She couldn't help but be irked by how effortless Draco had made the whole process seem. Granted he hadn't been able to completely prevent Snape from entering his thoughts but he had made it seem a lot less demanding than it was. He was no stranger to compartmentalising his emotions and thoughts, to maintaining a controlled façade. And Hermione would be damned if she allowed him to best her.

She drew in a deep raspy breath as she felt him leave her mind and slumped backwards in her chair. A cool wave of comfort flooded her as she met Draco's concerned gaze.

"Granger! You need to _clear_ your mind! Allowing your emotions to take over like that will be your downfall!"

"Her name is Malfoy, Severus." Draco snarled at his godfather, placing a protective hand on Hermione's wearied shoulder. Hermione was still slumped in the chair, panting with exhaustion.

Draco met the man's angry stare with defiance. Having grown up with the greasy-haired man, he was rather immune to his intimidating nature. "You are dismissed." He hissed before exiting the room in a billow of black robes.

Sighing with frustration, Draco helped Hermione to her feet and wrapped an arm around her waist. The fatigued girl let him take her weight as they made their way to their Commons in silence.

It was nearing midnight when they left the office. The hallways were eerily desolate, their tired footsteps reverberating off the walls. Hermione let out a soft laugh. "I don't think I've ever been this tired…and it's only the first session."

Draco let out a short bark of laughter as he pulled her closer to him. "Don't remind me."

Harry and Ginny couldn't help but stare at Hermione as she flopped down onto the bench across from them at the Gryffindor table. Her hair was haphazardly pulled into an unruly bun at the back of her head, her robes had been pulled on rather hastily and her eyes spoke of her grogginess. It most definitely was not like the Head Girl to look so…well, so dishevelled. Not to mention, they only had fifteen minutes until classes were to start.

"You okay, Mione? You look like hell." Ginny enquired, watching curiously as the girl piled found onto her plate.

"Gee, thanks." Hermione replied, sending the girl a smile. "Was up late last night with Head duties. Barely slept." She explained between mouthfuls.

"Ah, that sucks." Harry placed a friendly hand on her back, watching in amusement as she ate in quite a Weasley-like manner. "Just so you know…I'd avoid Ron for a little bit."

Hermione's head shot up from her plate at that, meeting Harry's eyes in confusion. "What? Because I said no? You've got to be kidding me."

"Mione, you know us Weasleys aren't exactly known for our understanding." Ginny supplied, flashing her friend a lopsided smile. "He's been ranting about how you've betrayed him and all that nonsense. Just give him some time to calm down."

Hermione couldn't help but throw her fork down in frustration. "Betrayed him? Oh I'm sorry – I didn't realise I wasn't allowed to have feelings for whoever I want and make decisions for myself. Whoops!"

If she hadn't been so upset in that moment, Hermione would have seen a spark alight in Ginny's eyes. "You like someone? Oh Merlin, you have to tell me everything!"

Hermione groaned ungracefully as the younger girl started excitedly rambling and shared a glance with Harry. "Right, well we've got Potions. Bye Gin!" She exclaimed, jumping up from the table and dragging Harry along with her.

They linked arms as they made their way down to the dungeons, much to Draco's chagrin. "So Mione...you never did answer Ginny." Harry teased, earning an elbow in his ribs from the girl. "Ow! I'm kidding. No need to assault me!"

Hermione felt the comfort of their friendship flood her as they milled towards the classroom. "Go to Ron. I'll find someone else to pair up with." She offered, smiling up at her dear friend

Harry leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Thanks." He whispered before joining Ron on the other side of the gloomy hallway.

The doors to the classroom flew open in the usual ominous manner. A familiar uneasy feeling flooded her as the heavy doors clanged against the room's stone walls. The Potions classroom had always been a miserable, foreboding place.

She watched awkwardly as the students milled in and seated themselves with their partners. She usually paired with Ron or Harry, always preferring to work with people she knew deeply and trusted. Lowering herself into a seat behind an empty desk as far away from Ron and Harry as possible, she felt a wave of relief as Draco seated himself beside her.

"Malfoy." She greeted her as she shot him a grateful smile.

"Granger." He answered cordially, leaning back in the chair in his usual languid manner with his arms folded in front of him. She couldn't help but notice just how charming he was with his constant unperturbed attitude.

"Quiet." Snape appeared in the room, looking just as shadowy as always. It had always impressed her that he was able to silence a room with his mere presence. It was something that most professors struggled with.

"Your task for today will be to brew the Nuntius Draught. As we discussed yesterday, it was historically used as a means of interrogation, publicising the taker's thoughts to all around him or her. It is a complex potion and so I will remind you all to be particularly careful. And for added incentive, whoever makes the greatest blunder will have to sample the best-made potion. Begin." He concluded, his eyes falling on a rather nervous Neville Longbottom.

With ingredients neatly placed on their desk, Hermione and Draco began to diligently prepare the components. "You know, Weasley is staring daggers at us." Draco whispered, carefully slicing the scurvy-grass.

"Don't be ridiculous, Draco." Hermione chastised as she stirred the warming concoction in front of them.

"I'm being completely serious." He said, dropping a carefully measured amount of peppermint powder into the bubbling cauldron. "Any second now I'll be covered in boiling liquid."

On the other side of the classroom, Ron was haphazardly stabbing at the valerian root in front of him. But his eyes were most definitely not focussed on the knife in his hand or the table in front of him. No, his attention was completely focussed on the pair near the front of the room.

They were standing far too close to each other for his liking. A growl bubbled in his throat as the blonde leaned across Hermione to reach for a bowl of tree sap, his arm brushing against her back.

"Bloody scumbag, piece of rubbish," He muttered rather loudly, earning a few curious glances from the students around him. "Thinks he's a bloody god."

"Ron…" Harry warned, warily eying his redheaded friend.

Ron continued to stab at the table in front of him. "Rich bastard. Bloody Death Eater piece of shit." He continued, accentuating each word with a jab at the ingredients in front of him.

"Ron…careful…"

Hermione giggled at something Draco had whispered to her. "La-dee-da. Thinks he's so bloody wonderful. Bloody arsehole. Bloody ferret-faced jackass."

"RON!" But Harry's warnings reached his ears a little too late. Time seemed to freeze as the tip of his knife hit the Erumpent horn sitting on the side of the table. The moment that the knife made contact, the horn cracked open and the watery liquid started to seep out.

Hermione gasped as a loud explosion grabbed her attention from the cauldron in front of her. A fit of coughs and screams erupted in the room as billows of smoke rose from the opposite end.

"Clarus!"

The smoke seemed to be vacuumed by the tip of Snape's wand from his position at the front of the classroom. As the haze cleared, concern coursed through her body at the site in front of her.

Ron and Harry were standing in the middle of an ashen void, the table in front of them reduced to mere rubble. Pieces of the cauldron that had been in front of them were strewn around the classroom and poor Neville was clutching at the back of his throbbing head.

As for the two Gryffindor boys, they were in a state of clear dishevelment. They were covered in a layer of dull ash and their robes hung off their lanky bodies in tatters. The ends of their hair were singed and Harry was glaring furiously at Ron, who had the decency to look remorseful.

"Mr Weasley! What in Merlin's name were you doing?" Snape spat, stalking up to where a desk had previously stood. "Looks like you'll be the idiot who will be sampling the potion today. Go sit near the wall where you can't possibly destroy anything else with Mr Potter."

Nearly a half hour had passed before Hermione let out a delighted shriek. The potion in front of the pair had turned into a deep maroon colour, the scent of peppermint wafting from the cauldron. "Congratulations, Hermione, Mr Malfoy. This looks exactly as it should." Snape commended, pouring a small amount of the liquid into a vial.

Surprised whispers scattered through the room at his statement. Snape was _complimenting_ Hermione…and he actually _called_ her Hermione! Well that was certainly out of character.

Coming to a stop in front of Ron, Snape elegantly arched his eyebrow at the boy as he held out the vial. The entire class watched with bated breath as Ron shakily grasped the vial and tipped the contents down his throat.

A moment of silence ensued before all hell broke loose.

'BLOODY GREASY-HAIRED BASTARD THINKS HE'S FUNNY.' What sounded like Ron's voice echoed against the stone walls, earning a few gasps from his classmates and a deep groan from both Harry and Hermione.

'OH SHIT… DAMN SLIMY SLYTHERINS.' The voice boomed, drawing growls of ire from the Slytherins in the room. 'BLOODY MALFOY WALKING AROUND LIKE HE OWNS THE DAMN PLACE. BULLSHIT – THAT'S WHAT IT IS.'

Ron's face gave away just how horrified he was as his thoughts were broadcasted for all to hear. 'OH CRAP. CAN THEY ALL HEAR IT TOO?'

The mixture of anger and amusement that was reverberating through the room was answer enough for him. The poor redheaded boy raced from the room, his panicked contemplations trailing behind him.

An outraged shriek reverberated around the room as his last audible thoughts trailed into the room. 'WOW THAT BULSTRODE GIRL IS REALLY STACKING ON THE POUNDS.'

To say that lunch had been an awkward affair was perhaps the understatement of the year. Having avoided his morning classes, Ron had ventured down for a quick meal. After all if there was one thing that Ronald Weasley could never deny, it was his stomach.

He had sheepishly placed himself at the Gryffindor table beside his closest mate. 'OH DEAR MERLIN THIS IS AWKWARD. HURRY UP AND EAT. OOH PUMPKIN PIE. OH MY – ROAST BEEF! MERLIN I LOVE ROAST BEEF. ROAST POTATOES?! BLOODY AWESOME!'

Ginny couldn't stifle the giggle that escaped her lips. She had always assumed that Ron became consumed by the food he had in front of him at any meals and here was the proof. Sharing an amused glance with Harry, she turned as she noticed Hermione nearing the table.

'BLOODY HELL HERMIONE IS SMOKING HOT.'

A pregnant silence flooded the large hall as Ron's eyes widened in horror. 'OH MERLIN…' His face was slowly turning a deep beet red. 'OH WOW, SHE SMELLS GOOD.'

Hermione stared awkwardly at the boy in front of her as giggles erupted throughout the hall. 'OH HELL. GET OUT OF HERE RONALD!'

By the time night came, Ron was ready to tear his hair out. He could feel that the potion was slowly wearing off; a little too late if you asked him. In the span of the day, a barrage of embarrassing thoughts had been shared with all those around him. He pinched the bridge of his nose as the most horrifying of his publicised musings flooded back to him.

'DAMN. LAVENDER'S ASS LOOKS FINE.' She hadn't been bothered by that one in the least.

'JEEZ. DOES PARVATI WANT TO LOOK ANY MORE TRASHY?' Now _she _had not appreciated that in the slightest.

'HOW DID I NEVER NOTICE THAT SEAMUS LOOKS LIKE HE WAS HIT IN THE FACE WITH A PAN AS A KID?!' That had earned him a split lip.

'UGH MCGONAGALL NEEDS TO GET THAT STICK OUT OF HER ARSE.' He received a night of detention for that.

'HAHA SNIVELLUS SNAPE. SNIVELLY SNIVELLUS.' Make that a month.

* * *

**A/N: I'm a little mean to Ron. He's never been my favourite…and I sort of like to make him the object of my amusement!**

**ALSO I can't, for the life of me, figure out why the little symbols that I put in to indicate a time lapse or change in the scenario keep disappearing when I upload the chapters to the docmanager. Help anyone?**

**Please read and review!**


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